Don't Be Afraid to Fly
by pillowrabbit
Summary: A normal Warriors fan wakes up as a cat, and she journeys to ThunderClan. New friends and enemies are made, allies are forged, and a new prophecy has taken flight. The fate of the Clans must now rest on her shoulders, but does she have what it takes to be a warrior that is strong and loyal, brave and true? Takes place after The Last Hope.
1. Chapter 1

PROLOGUE

Bramblestar blinked in wonder at the stars swirling and spinning around him. He was drifting in a black void, the small shining orbs acting as lamps to guide his way. His amber eyes widened in awe, and he knew that he was dreaming.

A ghostly form slowly appeared in front of him, and he recognized it as Firestar. The former Clan leader's fiery pelt had now sizzled down to a pulsing silver coat, and he radiated a gentle glow. He leaned towards Bramblestar, and the two touched noses in greeting. The dark brown tom dipped his head in respect.

Firestar purred, "How's it like being a Clan leader?"

The dark brown tom grinned. "It's a bit difficult, but with everyone's help, I can manage," he replied.

The StarClan warrior nodded. He suddenly took a step backwards and furrowed his brow. "Listen, Bramblestar," he mewed quietly. "There'll be tough times ahead, and an evil that no cat had ever seen. It'll be fierce and bitter and much blood will be shed." He looked up and blinked his green eyes. "But I have faith in you. I have no doubt that you will rise and lead ThunderClan strongly through the dark times ahead."

Bramblestar answered, "Thank you."

Firestar leaned back and rasped, "But, no, you alone cannot manage to defeat this evil. You must recollect old friends, old allies, and make new bonds."

He sighed softly. "And since this upcoming darkness is so wicked and fierce, StarClan has agreed to take more drastic measures."

Bramblestar blinked.

The starry warrior then stood up and gazed at the swath of stars circling around them.

He paused.

The dark brown tom stared at those intense green eyes, watching the flames flicker in its depths.

Firestar took a deep breath, and then said, "_For there to be victory over the evil, secrets must be unraveled, enemies be forgotten, and new friends be forged. Through the dreaded time, a conqueror will arrive, a rescuer that was born to quake the ground and shake the frontiers. Water must quench fire, light must filter shadows, and a new storm must be forged and banded together in order for the sun to come out again." _

Bramblestar felt the hairs on his neck quiver, and his tail lashed in excitement and anticipation.

Firestar dipped his head, and then got up and turned. He started to pad softly away into the shadowed depths of the void.

Without turning his head, he meowed, "StarClan has prepared a gift for you and ThunderClan. But don't bother looking for it. It will find you soon enough."


	2. The Girl in the Room

CHAPTER 1-The Girl in the Room

The girl was just a normal 13 year old, and there was nothing really special about her, with the dark raven locks and deep brown eyes. She lived normally like any other human. In the mornings, she ate cereal, put on her shoes and slung her backpack across her shoulders, and trot outside to greet the frosty gray-blue morning above. After school, she would then come home, do homework, perhaps study, and eat dinner. She was but a normal human girl, thinking regular thoughts, talking about regular things, and doing regular tasks.

But when she was alone in her own little room, she let her dreams take flight. She would delve into her fantasies, into her imagination, where animals talked, forests became jungles, the sky turned white, and characters came alive. The room became her kingdom, and she became the conqueror.

On most nights, she sat in front of her computer, typing away at Warriors fanfics and sharing her imagination to the world. She would eagerly wait for reviews and readers, and her eyes would sparkle whenever someone read her story.

However, tonight was different. She lay in her bed, her head resting on her pillow, staring up at the off-white ceiling. The cracks in the ceiling entwined and joined fingers, and to her, they looked almost like the outline of a cat.

She closed her eyes and thought, _I wonder what it would be like if I were a Warrior. _For a moment, she cherished the thought. _I'll be able to join a Clan, fight in battles, go on journeys, and fulfill prophecies._

The girl suddenly sat up. _Don't be stupid. Of course that'll never happen. _

But still, she probed in her secret thoughts, the ones in the back of her mind that no one else knew but her. Ashley closed her eyes and imagined herself, all whiskers and fur, claws and tail.

She would sun herself on a warm rock, her black fur soaking in the rays. She would crouch and hunt in the undergrowth, her narrow eyes tracking down the living things scurrying and squeaking through the leaves. Her paws crunched on the foliage and her tail swayed behind her like a steady pendulum. She would be a part of the forest, smelling of autumn and the wilderness, warm and natural, fresh and raw.

Ashley's eyes flit open, and suddenly she was back in her room again. She was still a human sitting in her house at night. She sighed, and held the covers close to her body. _I wish…_

The girl closed her eyes and went to sleep.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Ashley was dreaming. She was in a place that she had never been to before. The ground below her was washed with silver and glowed faintly. The stars above her head pulsed and quivered, radiating a gentle glow that bathed her.

Her eyes widened in awe. She had never seen so many stars before!

The dark velvet night was practically covered with them, a canvas splashed and draped and painted with so many yellow and white glowing orbs.

She felt herself shrinking for some reason, but it being a dream, she dismissed it.

The starlit dreamland suddenly began to dwindle, smaller and smaller, and her eyes began to grow heavy.

She closed them and stretched, and settled down to wait for morning to come.


	3. Chapter 2-Migration

CHAPTER 2-Migration

Ashley awoke to the birds filling the air with songs. She felt the roughness of the sidewalk below her, and the rising sun peered over the treetops and warmed her with its gentle touch.

She suddenly opened her eyes and leaped to her paws. Where was she? Why was she outside?

She gazed in horror at her body. She was covered from head to toe in soft black fur, and she had paws instead of feet.

_Wait…am I…?_

She saw her tail hang limp on her backside. She tried to wiggle it, and watched in shock when the tail moved. _I REALLY AM A CAT!_ she screamed in her mind.

But where was she? How did this happen? Who? What? Why?

Taking deep breaths, Ashley forced herself to calm down. She looked around. The houses and shapes were unfamiliar. She must be in a different part of town. But how did she even _get_ here?

And why was she a cat?

Millions of questions swirled around her mind, the questions that she had no hope of answering.

She stood up on shaking legs and tried to stand up like a normal human. It was impossible. Immediately, she fell face-first onto the concrete. _I guess I'd better get used to walking on all fours_, she thought.

Putting one paw clumsily in front of her, she slowly made her way across the streets, running past the cars and through the pedestrians. _I feel so awkward doing this._

She wasn't used to walking like a cat.

She peered up at the street signs. Her heart beat furiously in her rib cage when she read, "Engkraf Street". Where the heck _was_ she? She was utterly and completely lost, stranded in an unfamiliar city.

_But at least I can still read, _she thought glumly. _I'm just a human trapped in a cat's body. _

_But can I still talk? _

She opened her mouth, but all that came out was a soft "meow". She ducked her head.

What was she supposed to do now?

The black cat wandered aimlessly through the unfamiliar streets. She felt a wail rise in her throat but quickly clamped her jaws over it.

The city seemed so loud, so harsh and unwelcoming. The cars buffeted her fur, and the people ignored her. _I want to go home, _she thought, and felt like a little kid amidst the presence of giants.

OoOoOoOoOOoOoOoO

Night fell, and still she wandered the concrete streets. The cars eventually slowed down and reared back into their garages, and the people stepped into their homes.

Ashley looked up at the darkening sky. The first few stars were beginning to appear. They twinkled in the night, slowly rotating and winking down at her.

The cat saw another star, one that shone and glowed bigger than all the rest. It seemed to be reaching its fingers down and beckoning her. It tugged at her soul, urging her to follow its path.

Ashley took one step forward hesitantly. Then another. The star shone brighter all the while.

She began to follow it, past the streets, the sidewalks, the quiet concrete of the city.

Once, long ago, she had read in a book, about how sailors used stars to navigate and help lead them home.

_Perhaps, _she thought, _I can use this star._

It was a funny feeling, to feel it tugging at her and urging her on.

The rocks scraped her paws and she was hungry and thirsty, but still she carried on through the night, trusting the star to guide her to a distant land.


	4. Chapter 3-Migration Part 2

CHAPTER 3-Migration Part 2

She followed the star long after the sun had set. The crescent moon drifted among the darkening clouds and helped to light her way as she padded wearily across the city.

She paused for a moment to lap up a thin stream of water that was trickling down a gutter, and winced at the bitter taste of concrete and dirt. The black cat then continued walking, teetering on unfamiliar paws.

Ashley spotted a few trash cans lining the front of a house, and her ears flattened when her stomach grumbled. She hesitated, and then slowly trudged towards the garbage cans.

The cat tried to jump nimbly onto the can, but she wasn't used to her new body yet. Instead, she clumsily fastened on to it with her claws and managed to tip it over with a loud, ear-splitting crash. The contents spilled all over the road.

She leaped back, startled. And then, slowly, she crept forward and inspected the trash. She wrinkled her nose at the rotten stench.

Nevertheless, the trash can proved to be a godsend. She found a few strands of cooked spaghetti, yellow chicken bones with a few pieces of meat still stuck to it, a milk carton that had a bit of milk sloshing in it, a sandwich crust, a half-eaten jar of peanut butter, and some eggshells.

Her stomach rumbled loudly. She sighed. The stench was unbearable, but she had no choice. She could either eat this, or starve to death.

Ashley reluctantly nibbled on the chicken bone. It didn't taste that bad, she realized, and pretty soon, she had gnawed it clean.

She was busy lapping up the milk when she heard the soft patter of paws coming her way.

Glowing eyes greeted her when she turned her head. It had a large, striped tail and soft grey fur. _A raccoon_, she thought.

She had never seen one in real life, only in nature documentaries and books, and was fascinated by it.

The creature sauntered forward until it was a few feet in front of her. It bared its teeth and hissed.

Ashley blinked in surprise.

The raccoon snarled and took a step forward, as if taunting her.

_It wants the food, _she realized.

It growled low in its throat and puffed out its fur until it looked bigger than it already was.

The feline gulped and stepped back.

It glared at her for a minute. And then it charged.

Before she had known what was happening, it had fastened its teeth into her skin and was scratching at her eyes with its sharp claws.

"Ow! Hey, stop!" she screeched. She felt its nails sink deep into her flesh. It chittered angrily like a squirrel and shrieked madly. Instantly, it became a shrieking mess of grey fur and piercing claws.

She reared up onto her hind legs and tried to shake it off, but it held on securely with its teeth. Blood splattered onto the floor.

Ashley unsheathed her claws and tried to swipe at the raccoon, but it was too quick and nimble. It dodged her blows easily with fluid motions, and trickled out of her grasp like water.

The cat yowled and slammed her side against a tree trunk.

The raccoon loosened its grip just a tiny bit, but she was able to shove it away.

She ruffled her fur and quickly sprinted a safe distance away.

The raccoon chittered and glared at her once more. Then, after it decided that she wasn't a threat anymore, it turned and began digging through the trash.

Ashley was bleeding from a scratch on her nose, and had countless other scrapes crisscrossing her pelt. She stared at the raccoon with wide eyes.

She was much too startled to feel angry.

She had never known that raccoons could be this dangerous.

She watched the creature for a little while more, before sulking away into the shadows with her tail down.

The raccoon continued to dig through the garbage and gnaw on the food. The moonlight shone on its face, on its eyes that shone mischievously like the old bandit it was.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

She awoke to the warmth of the sunlight soaking into her fur. She blinked groggily and slowly sat up. The scratches on her sides screamed in protest as she did so.

She realized that she was lying on a shallow ditch.

Her paws were covered in cuts from running on the rough concrete, and they still ached.

However, when she looked around, she realized that she had long escaped the grasp of the bustling city.

Tall, dry grass surrounded her and billowed gently in the wind. It snapped and crackled, and rippled like an ocean of sun. The sky was crystal-clear, with not a speck or blemish, and birds wove in and out of the clouds.

Everything looked so peaceful and quiet.

She slowly got up on all four feet and savored the feeling of her surroundings, and felt the wind whistle through her fur. It felt so fresh, so clean. For a moment, her heart was content, and all was right with the world.

But then she remembered, and her spirits fell. She had been transformed into cat, and was lost. She had to focus right now on finding a way home.

But it was daytime; the stars had all disappeared. There was nothing to guide her now. What was she supposed to do? She felt a wail rise in her throat, and clenched her eyes shut.

The silence was deafening.

And then she felt it.

It was a slight touch, so subtle and gentle that she wasn't sure if she was imagining it or not. A sigh of the wind, a trace of dandelion pollen, a butterfly kiss, so slight and delicate.

It wound its fingers over her and gently tugged. She blinked.

She concentrated and focused all of her attention, and then she was finally certain that it was real. The star had weakened in the daylight, but it still urged her on. She could feel it; she was sure that she could.

It beckoned and pointed towards a large green patch in the horizon line.

_A forest? _she thought.

Gently, on unfamiliar steps, she began to journey once more. Her paws stung and felt like they would fall off, but the star's presence urged her onwards.

Her stomach moaned. Her throat was parched. But there was nothing for her here, nothing but the grass and wind and the hot sunlight.

An old, cracked road wound its way through the tall grass like a river. By the looks of it, no car had tread its wheels across it for a long, long time.

She blinked.

A road. It seemed to peer at her with an ancient, withered face, and the cracks deepened.

It slithered across, stretching far into the distance, widening at the edge of the forest in the horizon.

_A road, _she thought.

She delicately placed one paw on its rough surface. It was baked hot by the sun, but she didn't mind.

The feline began to walk across its surface, placing one paw in front of the other as the sun climbed steadily into the center of the sky.

She grew more grim and determined as she ascended into the vast expanse, as the star in the heavens urged her onward.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was a long time before she finally neared the woods. The star seemed more desperate now, and it shrieked and begged her with sheer desperation. It roared in her ears.

Finally, her paws touched dark, damp soil instead of rough, worn cement, and she gazed in awe at the trees looming up in front of her. They stood straight and firm, and they seemed to be saluting her as she trudged past.

The branches stretched and interlocked with eachother, forming a canopy. The sunlight filtered through and casted glowing patches across the leaf litter.

It was so _beautiful. _

Everywhere she looked, there was life. The birds sang cheerfully, and the squirrels leaped from branch to branch.

Even the ground teemed with rich, living things that scurried underneath the fallen leaves.

There was also a smell, so rich and moist and fresh. It smelled of the wilderness, of stone and age and knowledge. So crisp, so new.

It brought back memories of when she was a little child.

She was only five years old then, a little girl wearing a thick jacket as she held the hand of her mother. The two of them had strolled through the woods once. She had kicked up the fallen leaves and watched in fascination as it flowed from her legs. The sky had been grey with the scent of an oncoming rain, and she had laughed.

Her eyes blurred, and then she was back in present time again, stuck in the body of a feline.

She stiffened. This wasn't home. This was nowhere. She was still lost.

Tears began to travel down her cheeks. She didn't know where to go anymore, and the ache in her heart deepened.

She tried to listen for the star, but it was beginning to quiet down. It hummed for a moment longer, gently, gently, like the petal traveling on the wind. Then it wheezed, gasped, and finally sighed, as if it was contented. And then it finally fell silent.

She was utterly and completely alone in the forest. She tipped her head back and wailed.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Ashley collapsed at the foot of an oak tree. She buried her face in the autumn leaves, breathing in its rich, earthy scent.

She was too tired to walk anymore.

_I'm going to die here, _she thought sadly. Her eyes fluttered shut. An empty black void loomed in front of her and glared at her with its one ugly eye. She was lost in its emptiness.

The crunching of leaves. A voice. Two voices, no, three.

Her ears twitched, but she didn't open her eyes. _There's voices, _her mind murmured wearily. _Listen._

"See, Berrynose, I told you I smelled an intruder."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"I told you, I told you! But do you ever listen to me? No, you don't."

"Bumblestripe, you know what, shut up for once. What do you suppose we should do with her?"

Ashley felt something jab her sharply on the side.

"Stop that, Berrynose! Can't you see that she's hurt? We should help her."

"Don't be stupid, Cinderheart. She might be a spy from another Clan. Or an intruder."

"Well, we can't just leave her here! The poor thing looks so helpless. And by the looks of it, she's no bigger than an apprentice."

Ashley felt someone gently lift her up by the scruff of the neck. She clenched her eyes tighter. She was so tired…her senses began to fade…

"Ugh. Bumblestripe, can you help me please? She's too heavy for me to carry alone."

"I'm not too sure about this…"

The voices were beginning to sound muffled. They began to fade. Her limbs tingled and went numb, and her head was heavy. So tired…

The black void swallowed her up, and after that, she felt nothing more.


	5. Chapter 4-End of Migration

CHAPTER 4-End of Migration

In my dreams, I was running across a countryside, my jacket flapping in the breeze. I was a human again, and my two legs were strong and nimble. I dashed past a rundown fence, past a street of houses, trying to reach my own home in the distance. I could see every detail of it clearly: the red shingles on the roof, the pale tan plaster on the walls, the curtains in the windows. I was running toward my house, but the faster I sprinted, the farther it seemed to drift away.

I woke up with a gasp. My eyes flew open.

I squinted when I noticed my surroundings. I was in a cave of some sort, and it was dark inside. A mossy nest lined with feathers tickled my nose. A spicy scent drifted towards me, and I realized that a pile of herbs were neatly stacked up against a wall. A poultice of the sharp-smelling stuff caked the scratches on my pelt.

I blinked in confusion. This looked strangely like a medicine cat's den…

"Oh, good, you're awake!" a cheerful voice chirped. I jumped in surprise.

A light brown she-cat stood in the entrance. She was pretty and petite, but there was one major flaw: her two hind legs looked paralyzed. She had to drag them when she walked.

My eyes widened. _Briarlight? Could it be?_

But then I decided that no, it wasn't Briarlight. The Warrior cats weren't even supposed to be real. They were just made-up fictional characters.

But then how come the cat that stood in front of me bore such a striking similarity? Was it just a coincidence? I gaped at her.

She didn't seem to notice, and she turned her head to call through the opening, "See, Jayfeather, I told you she wasn't dead!"

My breath caught in my throat. _Jayfeather? _He's real?

A dark gray cat padded over. His blue eyes were dull and clouded over, but he seemed to have no problem navigating.

_It's Jayfeather! It's actually him! _

I had been a Warriors fan for more than 5 years, but I never dreamed that I would actually meet them in real life. I began to feel light-headed.

The medicine cat leaned down and sniffed my wounds. He meowed, "Well, it seems that you're fine, just a bit tired. Where are you from?"

I ducked my head and averted his gaze. I had always been shy in front of strangers. "Well, um…" What should I tell him? That I was actually a human? _Of course not, _I thought. _No one would believe me._

Briarlight smiled gently. "Maybe you'd like a bite to eat first. You look hungry."

I nodded, too shy to speak.

Itried to stand on my paws, but they ached too much, and I had to fall back into the mossy nest.

Luckily, Briarlight was willing to get the prey herself, and came back with a squirrel clamped in her jaws.

I eyed it warily. The scent wafting from it was strangely enticing, but could I bring myself to eat it?

Jayfeather asked gruffly, "What's wrong? It's not poisoned or anything."

I shuffled my paws awkwardly. "W-well…I'm not used to eating raw meat, so…"

"Does that mean you're a kittypet? You eat kittypet food?"

"No, of course not."

Jayfeather scoffed, but before he could say anything, I quickly meowed, "Actually, it's fine. I'll eat the squirrel."

I gazed at the dead rodent. _Come on, _I urged myself. _You've eaten raw fish in sushi before. If you can eat that, then you can eat this._

Closing my eyes tightly,I slowly crouched down and nibbled a tiny bite. It actually didn't taste that bad. I began to wolf it down and devour it ravenously, barely chewing. I was hungrier than I thought.

A dark brown tom shouldered his way between Jayfeather and Briarlight and sat down.

Brambleclaw?

The tom spoke in a deep and rumbling voice, "Greetings, I am Bramblestar, the leader of ThunderClan. And who might you be?"

Bramblestar. Of course, he's the leader now.

I meowed, "Uh…I'm kinda lost. Do you know where the nearest Twolegplace is?"

The leader blinked. "So you're a kittypet?"

"Not exactly. I have a home there." What should I do? Should I tell him that I'm a human?

"My name is Ashley. Do you think you can help me?"

Bramblestar's eyes narrowed. It was obvious that he didn't trust me.

Jayfeather leaned closer to his ear and whispered something, and I strained my ears to hear. He murmured quietly, "She's a strange one. It seems that she had been traveling for days. And her scent is different…it doesn't smell entirely cat-like. And she won't eat squirrel."

I blushed in embarrassment.

Bramblestar sat there quietly for a moment, his amber gaze fixed on me. Something seemed to flicker there for a second, as if he just realized something.

He said, "Very well, then, Ashley. You can stay here for a few days, and after you've rested, I'll send some escorts to accompany you to Twolegplace."

I dipped my head in gratitude.

After they left, I nibbled my squirrel thoughtfully. It was unlikely that the Twolegplace nearby was where I lived, but still, I was eager to take any chance I had.

And the Warriors. I was in ThunderClan!

Strangely, I didn't feel as excited as I wanted to be. Ever since I was little, I had wanted to become a warrior and live honorable days, but right now, all I wanted to do was go home, where I belonged.

My parents must be worried sick about me.

Would I ever get home again?

An empty feeling gnawed in the pit of my stomach, and even though I swallowed huge bites of the squirrel, I couldn't block it out.

I wanted to go home. I missed my friends, my family. I didn't belong here. I can't be a warrior. I was a human, and I couldn't just leave my past life behind.

More than anything in the world, I wanted to go home.


	6. Chapter 5-The Hatching Time

CHAPTER 5-The Hatching Time

I had been running a light fever for a few days, and the scratches on my pelt and pads still needed mending. I had to wait in the medicine cat's den and stay in the camp until I healed from the wounds completely.

One sunny morning, I padded over to the fresh-kill pile. I winced as I tread on my sore paws.

The cats were wary. A lot of them still avoided me and didn't trust me at all. Daisy kept a wide berth around my presence, and Sorreltail kept her kits in the nursery whenever I was wandering around the camp. I felt a little bit like an outcast whenever they gave me that look, as if I didn't belong here. Of course I didn't. This wasn't home.

I paused in front of the fresh-kill pile and gazed at it. The prey still didn't taste very appetizing, and I would have preferred eating a hamburger or pasta instead. My mouth watered at the memory. How long would it be until I was able to go home again?

I steeled myself and gulped down a shrew in a few choked bites.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Daisy lean over to Berrynose and mutter something quietly. She was talking about me, of course, and by the look on her face, I could tell that it was something negative. My ears drooped. It wasn't _my _fault that I made faces when I was eating! I didn't even want to eat fresh-kill. I sighed.

I trudged back into the medicine cat's den with my tail trailing behind me. The darkness of the cave was much more comforting than the presence of the ThunderClan cats.

I settled down onto the soft moss and closed my eyes. I thought about what had happened. I had been turned into a cat somehow and I now found myself in the midst of ThunderClan. It's what I always wanted, I realized. To become a warrior and fight in battles, to meet the Clan leaders and go to Gatherings. But none of that mattered now. I might never get to see my family again.

Mother, I thought. Father. I began to repeat the names of the people I knew in my mind, so that I wouldn't forget them.

Mother. Father. My brothers, Arnold, and Aiden. And Samantha, and Faith, Kiki, Michelle, all of my friends, my teachers, the people that I once knew…

Would I ever get to see them again?

I buried my face in my paws. I am lost. I don't know how to get home.

Someone placed a tiny paw on my arm. I opened my eyes, startled.

A white kit was standing in front of me, and his amber eyes glittered.

"Hello!" he chirped. "I'm Snowkit. Who are you?"

Snowkit. Of course. He's Brightheart's kit, isn't he? He was in her second litter, along with his littermates, Dewkit and Amberkit.

"I'm Ashley," I replied. He sniffed me and wrinkled his nose. "You smell different. Not at all like a cat."

I saddened a bit. Another reminder that I was different and didn't belong.

The kit pricked up his ears. "I like it! You smell like the bird of paradise flower. That's my favorite flower."

I was surprised. He was the first one here who had said anything nice to me.

"Thanks," I said.

He suddenly bounded forward and shoved himself in between my paws. He buried his face in the black fluff of my chest.

I was a bit taken back, at first. I was never good around kids, and I felt awkward whenever I was near children who were younger than me.

There was an awkward silence as Snowkit breathed in my scent. He mewed brightly, "So where are you from?"

"Somewhere far, far away."

"That sounds interesting! What's it like there?"

I paused to think and remember. "Well…there was dry, green grass on the front lawn. And a large bush with bright red blossoms." I closed my eyes. "It nearly covered the entire wall. Tiny yellow flowers nestled in between the blades of grass. They were so small, you had to really peer in and focus to see them clearly. And there were clumps of purple and yellow flowers. The air smelled sweet with their scent."

"The backyard was a whole painting of bright colors. There were roses and hollyhocks, daisies and peppertrees. The sky was so blue…"

My voice trailed off, and I opened my eyes again. That was how I remembered the front lawn and the backyard of my home. Snowkit's amber eyes shone brightly like two stars. "Wow!" he breathed. "Your home sounds beautiful!" He tipped his head to one side. "Why did you leave?"

I faltered. I had woken up as a cat and in the middle of a street that I didn't know. How _did _I get so far from home? The star had called me here. Why?

"I-I think I'm lost," I stammered. And it was true. I had no idea where I was.

"Yes. I'm lost. And I kept wandering everywhere in the hopes that I would be able to find my way back again. But…it's all hopeless. I'll never get home. I can't even find the path in front of me." I lowered my head and buried my face in my paws.

I felt the tears well up in my eyes. Oh, no, I can't be crying again. Ever since I was little, I had been able to cry very easily. I couldn't help it.

Snowkit nuzzled me. "It's okay," he said. "There's always a path in front of you, silly. It's right under your nose. I'm sure you'll find it."

Just then, Brightheart nosed her way through the opening of the den. She looked surprised that Snowkit was here. "Oh, hi there Ashley," she smiled kindly. "Snowkit, Cloudtail came back from the hunting patrol. He saved a squirrel for you."

She beckoned the kit to follow her, and they disappeared from the den.

Snowkit poked his head back in and mewed, "Don't be sad, Ashley! You can't be, because tomorrow's going to be my apprentice ceremony! You'll be there, right?"

I replied, "Yeah."

I listened to his pawsteps fade away.

OoOoOoOoOoOooOoOOooOOoOoOOoOooOo

The day finally came. The wounds on my pelt and paws, along with my light fever, had completely faded away. Today was the day that I would journey to the nearest Twolegplace and try to see if my house was there.

Bramblestar padded in as I was finishing choking down a sparrow. He gazed at me silently, his amber gaze boring into my eyes.

I felt a little intimidated by the way his muscles rippled underneath his rich pelt, and his piercing and sharp gaze.

I flinched when he said, "Well, I'd better choose a few escorts to help you on your way."

I asked, "Who will it be?"

The tom rumbled, "Brackenfur, Millie, and Lionblaze." He paused. "And me, of course."

I was surprised. "But you don't need to go. You need to look after your Clan, after all."

"Squirrelflight can manage while I'm gone. And besides," his eyes flickered. "I need to make sure you get home safely."

I wasn't sure of his intentions, but I didn't say anything.

We padded out of the medicine cat's den and into the clearing. Bramblestar nodded as the chosen cats bounded towards us.

He exchanged some words with his deputy before we headed out of the camp.

The tall trees formed a canopy over the skies, and the branches interlocked. A rich, damp scent wafted up from the soil underneath my paws, and the birds were everywhere. Millie and Brackenfur tried to chat with me, but my soft and curt responses soon silenced them.

The soil was soft like moss. I closed my eyes and breathed in the forest smells.

Eventually, the trees thinned, and the sky began to appear again.

"Careful," Bramblestar warned. "The ground is much looser here, and there are cliffs up ahead."

Lionblaze murmured, "But there's a much easier way to get to Twolegplace—"

Bramblestar interrupted him and whispered something quietly in his ear. Lionblaze's ears twitched but he said nothing.

The dark, damp soil gave way to hard, cracked ground that was baked golden in the sun.

The ground was a web of cracks. Boulders and pebbles lay sprawled around, and a few scraggly bushes and trees lined the rocks.

There was a canyon up ahead. It appeared that a river had ran here once, a long time ago, but it had dried up.

The cliff was huge.

Bramblestar and the other warriors easily bounded forwards and leaped across the abyss with fluid, strong movements. I gaped in awe. How was I ever supposed to cross it?

I gazed nervously down the canyon. Darkness gazed up at me. It was a long drop below. If I managed to fall in, I would break every bone in my body.

The warriors were on the other side.

Bramblestar yowled encouragingly, "It's alright, Ashley. You can do it."

Millie added, "Yeah, that's right. It's easy!"

I backed away nervously and shook my head.

I could imagine myself drop and plunge down the cliff into the waiting darkness below.

I turned away. But…

I remembered my home, the one with the red tiled roof and the pale brown plaster walls. The grass on the front lawn was a dry green, and there was a large bush with big red blossoms. It nearly covered the entire wall. And deep in the grass, nestled between the green sprouts, were tiny, minute yellow flowers. They were so small, you had to really peer in and focus to see them clearly. The backyard was a canvas filled with hundreds of bright colors. There were roses, hollyhocks, daisies, and peppertrees. There was a swimming pool and two scraggly orange trees.

I remembered it all. And if I wanted to see the front lawn and backyard of my house again, I had to cross this canyon. Everything was waiting on the other side.

"Ashley," Lionblaze urged.

I gulped, and eyed the cliff warily. If I had wings, everything would be so much easier. I would be able to fly past the gorge and away from my troubles. I would be on top of the world, and be able to see every corner of the universe. If I had wings, I would be able to fly back home.

I blinked. But I didn't have wings.

Oh, well. Here I go.

I took in a deep breath, and flexed my muscles.

Come on, I urged myself. All I have to do is run and jump. The other side isn't that far away. Only, like, twenty feet or something.

I crouched down, and held my breath. My paws thudded on the dry, hard ground as I sprinted forwards. Just before I took off from the cliff, I closed my eyes tight.

My paws left the ground and I jumped.

For a moment, time seemed to slow down. My paws were running through the air. Don't look down, I told myself. Instead, I looked up, at the brilliant blue sky. I imagined that I was flying.

And then, I felt myself falling.

The darkness rushed up from below me. I was too scared to scream. I'm falling. Help!

Bramblestar and Lionblaze fastened their teeth onto the scruff of my neck and hauled me up. My paws met the ground, and I was safe.

My heart pounded in my rib cage, desperate and afraid. Brackenfur whistled. "Wow, for a moment there I thought you were a goner. Bramblestar and Lionblaze saved you just in time. If it had been a second later, you would've fallen for good."

I forced myself to stop trembling. I was safe, I told myself over and over again.

Bramblestar looked a little disappointed for some reason, but I didn't dwell on the thought.

Twolegplace was still a long way away.

After walking for a few hours more, we paused for a break.

As the other cats rested under the shade of a thin tree, Bramblestar beckoned me. I padded towards him. He said, "It's time to hunt. We'll need the fresh-kill. Would you like to hunt with me, or on your own?"

I stammered, "Uh, I, er…I'm not really hungry…"

"It's alright. We'll just catch a little bit of prey."

I shuffled my feet awkwardly. How could I tell him that never once in my life have I ever caught any prey? I was a human, and humans don't hunt.

He crouched down and whispered, "I smell a vole nearby. Let's catch it."

I copied him and crouched down low until the dust tickled my nose. I'll just have to remember what I read in the Warriors books. Let's see…I'm supposed to keep my feet apart and balance my weight equally. I made sure that I was downwind of the prey.

I slowly shuffled forward, and the vole came into view.

A twig cracked under my paw, and I froze. I watched helplessly as the rodent darted away.

The Warriors books never mentioned on how to keep quiet when you were hunting!

I turned and ducked my head, embarrassed. "Sorry," I muttered.

Bramblestar said nothing, but flicked his tail. He looked a bit discouraged, and I didn't know why. Perhaps it was because I was a lousy hunter?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOOoOOOoOoOOOoO

After a long while, we finally reached Twolegplace. We crossed a Thunderpath and halted in front of the buildings.

"The rest of us will wait here," Bramblestar said. He nodded at me. "See if you can find your home."

Without wasting another second, I dashed up and down the streets. The cars zoomed past me, but I barely noticed them.

I read the signs desperately. Crow Street, Oak Street, Highland Street, Madison Lane. None of them sounded familiar.

The houses became a blur as I dashed past them. Where was _my _house? 2451 Echo Lane. It wasn't there.

There was a Cherry Street and a Pioneer Avenue, but never was there an Echo Lane.

The sky grew darker as the sun set, and the first stars appeared. I wandered aimlessly through the streets. The tears pounded against my eyes and my heart pounded slowly against my rip cage. It was hopeless, all of it. This was the wrong Twolegplace. My house wasn't there. There's no point in looking any further.

I trudged back towards the cats that were silhouetted against the sunset. Millie asked hopefully, "Did you find it?" I shook my head, and she fell silent.

They gazed at me. I was uncertain.

I asked, "Where do I go now?"

Brackenfur cleared his throat. "Well, there's only one place you can go to…"

Bramblestar nodded. "ThunderClan," he rasped.

I was a bit surprised. ThunderClan? I was going to train to be a warrior?

"A-are you sure about that?" I asked.

The leader nodded. "Of course. There's always room if you want to join. An extra warrior never hurts."

Millie nudged me gently. "I welcome you."

I wasn't sure what to do. But then, what could I do? I was lost. ThunderClan was giving me an offer as my new home.

No, it's not my home, I thought hastily. I would never belong. My home is the house with the red shingled roof, and the pale brown plaster walls, and the lawn with the dry green grass. A large bush with blossoms crowded the wall, and tiny yellow flowers nestled in between the blades. The backyard was filled with color.

Would I ever see it again.

There was nothing else I could do.

I would join ThunderClan. But, I promised myself, I won't forget my real home, the one with the roses and daisies and hollyhocks.

I won't forget. I will make myself remember. Mother, Father, I remembered sadly, as I repeated the names of the people that I knew over and over again.

I followed the warriors as we headed back towards ThunderClan

OoOoOoOoOoOOoooo

That evening, I became an apprentice, and my mentor was Millie. I had refused a proper apprentice name. My name was Ashley, and it always will be.

I slept in the apprentice's den that night. For a moment, I wondered why Cherrypaw and Molepaw weren't here, and then I remembered that they had already become warriors: Cherryblossom and Moleclaw.

Snowpaw, Dewpaw, and Amberpaw shared the den with me. Dewpaw and Amberpaw avoided me and refused to talk, probably because they didn't trust me. I was saddened.

But, at least Snowpaw liked me, even though he was a little bit upset with me because I had missed his apprentice ceremony.

oOoOoOOooooOOoOOoO

**Yay, I finally updated a chapter. Do you like it?**


	7. Chapter 6-The Nestling

CHAPTER 6-The Nestling

"Try to use your tail for balance," Millie suggested.

It was gathering towards dusk, and we were training in the hollow as the sun set, and she was teaching me a battle tactic with the other apprentices. I was supposed to do an upright lock: rear up on my hind legs, wrestle and flip the opponent underneath me, and try to avoid getting attacked in the process.

My opponent was Dewpaw. Even though I was much older than him, he was too quick for me to pin him down properly. He weaseled out of my grasp as easily as water.

"Jump, Ashley! Try to pin him down," Millie instructed. I tried, but in the end, he managed to pin me down instead.

I lay panting from underneath him, my black fur ruffled and my ears flat against my head. I was exhausted, and I didn't have the strength to push him away.

Dewpaw sneered at me, and then backed away to let me sit up. Amberpaw, Snowpaw, Seedpaw, and Lilypaw stared at me from across the clearing. They saw all of it happen. I was so embarrassed!

Millie licked my forehead sympathetically and mewed, "It's alright. Just keep practicing, and you'll do fine." We moved aside to watch Snowpaw and Lilypaw practice.

They crouched down and circled eachother. Their gazes were focused and concentrated, and while the tension grew, Snowpaw suddenly bounded forward and jumped. Lilypaw let out a squeal of surprise as he let out a blow to her face with sheathed claws. He jumped back to dodge her blows, and then leaped onto her back. Lilypaw was prepared this time, and she rolled over, crushing the tom underneath her.

She got back up before she could do any serious harm. Snowpaw leaped up and grinned. "Nice moves, Lilypaw!"

I wilted. I was such a lousy fighter! How am I ever supposed to be a warrior? I sighed. Being a medicine cat would be so much easier, but Jayfeather already had Briarlight as his apprentice.

Snowpaw padded towards me. His white coat was dusty from rolling around, but his amber eyes shone brighter than ever. He called to Millie, "I'm going to show Ashley some parts of the forest, okay?"

"Alright. But don't wander too far."

Snowpaw looked at me and chirped, "Come on, I need to show you something!"

I watched him bound out of the camp. I sighed, and slowly followed him.

He led me to the parts of the forest that I had never seen before. As we ventured further, the shadows became darker. The wind whistled through the leaves. I began to grow uneasy.

"Snowpaw," I called. "How much further?"

"It's not far," came the muffled answer. The white tom peered at me through the crevices of the branches and scurried off.

I hurried after him. The shadows grew longer. The stars started to appear, but the branches overhead mostly blocked them from view.

I saw his snowy white pelt disappear through an opening in the brush, and I slipped in.

I blinked wide in surprise, and my jaw gaped open. Surrounding me in every side was a clearing, a wide opening in the forest where no trees grew. Soft, pale green grass swayed up to my shoulders, wafting into the air with its sweet aroma. Dandelions swayed among them to a soundless tune. Their small, yellow petals were tiny and petite. The seed dandelions, the one with the fluffy grey seed caps, were also there. They dotted the meadow like countless fallen stars. Poppies and tulips, red ones, orange ones, yellow ones, any color you could name, they were there also. My brown eyes were wide. It was so beautiful. In the darkness of the evening, the flowers seemed to glow with an inner warmth, like fire.

Fireflies danced in the air and buzzed their wings, and emitted a gentle glow. Snowpaw padded up towards me, his eyes shining. He pointed up. "Look," he mouthed silently, so he wouldn't disturb the soundless tune of the magic.

I looked up, and held my breath. Up above me, there were countless stars. Millions of them. An infinite amount of stars, all floating above there, pulsing and quivering and shining down on us.

Some were small, others were quite large. Some of them glowed faintly, and others glowed with a shining red ferocity. I felt Snowpaw sit down next to me, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the stars.

The lanterns floated so close to me, I felt that I could touch them if I tried.

"Oh," I breathed. Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could just fly up there and dance with them all?

A particularly large one twinkled brightly. Snowpaw whispered, "That's the North Star. If you have him, you'll never get lost."

And he told me the names of all the ones he knew: Pegasus, Orion, Columba, Fornax, Capricornus, Leo Minor, Virgo, Ursa Major, and many, many more.

They dazzled and shone, and seemed to flutter with invisible wings like the fireflies. Snowpaw and I lay down on the soft grass and watched their display painted on the inky, purple and black night sky.

I asked, "Does anyone else know this place?"

Snowpaw answered, "Of course not." He winked at me. "This will be our secret okay? Make sure no one else knows."

I felt a bit comforted, knowing that someone trusted me.

I shifted so that I was propped against one arm, and gently tugged a dandelion, the one with the fluffy grey seed cap, free from the earth. I said, "Someone once told me that if you blow the seeds from one of these and wish for something, your wish will come true."

"Oh really?" His ears perked up. He gently picked one up, and closed his eyes. His brow furrowed, as if he was thinking hard. Then, he opened them again and blew. The seeds floated away easily and traveled through the air, as if wafting down an invisible river. A wind blew, and we watched them as they disappeared, one by one, upwards into the stars.

I took mine, thought for a while, and then blew the seeds away as well. Snowpaw asked, "What did you wish for?"

"If I tell you, it won't come true," I replied.

"Oh."

We sat in silence for a few moments.

He asked, "Hey, Ashley, how do you know about making wishes on dandelions?"

I shrugged. "Oh, it's something all humans know."

"What?"

I stammered, "Uh-I-er-Well, someone just told me."

I couldn't tell him that I was a human. Not yet.

"I know something else about dandelions," I mewed. I plucked one of them and twirled it around in my paws. "You rub it against your chin. And if the pollen comes off and leaves your chin yellow, that means you're in love."

I had read it in a book somewhere.

Snowpaw's eyes glittered with excitement. "Let me try!" he squeaked. I let him have the dandelion, and he rubbed it against his chin. "Is it yellow?" he asked.

I looked. "No," I said. He looked disappointed, but only for a second. "Okay, you can try!" He held the dandelion towards me, but I shook my head. "No, it's alright. I don't think the pale yellow will show against my black fur."

The stars danced and sang in unison. And I felt, somehow, that they were calling out to me.

The stars in the sky. Mother and Father and everyone back home must be watching them too. I was sad.

I lay down and felt my arm against my chest. My heart beat in a slow, melancholy and dreary tune like the pendulum of a very old and very ancient clock.

OoOoOooOOOoOooOOOoOOO

The stars must have had some magic to them, because day after day, I was improving. I was still a terrible fighter, but my hunting skills got better. I remember how proud I was when I caught my first mouse.

The other cats were slowly warming up to me. Once, Squirrelflight and Leafpool had offered to sit next to me to share tongues with, and I found myself play-fighting with the other apprentices. Dewpaw didn't like me very much, though. He scowled when he saw me, and when we slept in the den, he scooted as far away from me as possible.

After training, every night, Snowpaw and I would secretly scamper off towards the hidden meadow. We made sure that no one followed us.

We would sit down on the soft, long grass and point to the star constellations. Once, there were several shooting stars.

"Quick, make a wish!" he said. "The shooting stars are the ones with magic."

And we would wish, and dream, and wish some more, and once, he asked me what I wished for on the falling stars. I said, "To have wings."

Wouldn't it be glorious, if I could fly? I wanted to soar among the clouds, high up to the heavens, and higher still, far, far away from my troubles, to some dreamland above.

It was only a wish of mine. I often fell asleep thinking about it.


	8. Chapter 7-The Fledgling

CHAPTER 7-The Fledgling

The round, pale moon shone against an even paler sky. The black, skinny trees thinned out as we neared the WindClan territory. Tonight was my first Gathering, and I was nervous. My heart fluttered anxiously against my rib cage.

The smooth surface of the Lake gleamed and glittered with starlight, and it peered up at the ThunderClan cats with a full, pale face.

Onestar and his cats greeted us at the rise of a hill, and we journeyed onwards to the island. The dry stalks of grass crunched underneath my paws. _Crunch. Snap. Crunch. Crunch._

They whispered in my ears. Snowpaw bounded with excitement next to me. "This is going to be our first Gathering!" he exclaimed. "I can't wait!" My fur was fluffed out with tension. How many cats were going to be on the island? Fifty? One hundred? How would I fit in? Would everyone stare at me, the newcomer? Graystripe breathed in the crisp night air. "I smell a lot of cats," he meowed. "There's going to be one hundred of them tonight." I felt light-headed.

We neared the fallen log that acted as a bridge from the bank to the island. I twitched my ears as the wind carried the murmurs and voices from the Gathering towards me. The ThunderClan and WindClan cats began to scramble onto the log. I hesitated. It looked thin, delicate, and sleek. What if it collapsed from underneath me? What if I slipped? I could never swim.

Snowpaw seemed to sense my tension, for he rested his fluffy tail against my black pelt and steadied me. He mewed brightly, "Come on! We'll help eachother." Together, we scrabbled onto the log and journeyed across it. I leaned on him for support.

At one point, I nearly slipped, but he managed to steady me.

My paw brushed the soft fur of grass. I looked up anxiously as we continued on towards the clearing. The chatter of voices grew steadily louder as we neared. The cats sounded like a whole tree full of birds! They chirped and sang, and chatted and talked, but to me, they talked about nothing. Their voices went _murmur, murmur, murmur _and they mingled with eachother, but the sounds were empty and meaningless. Cats, more cats than I've never seen at one place, nestled together so that it was a whole crowd of endless shifting pelts.

So this was a Gathering.

There were too many people. It was too loud. Too loud! Too much!

I quivered nervously, and when I looked around, I realized that Snowpaw had disappeared. He had probably bounded off to explore. The cats chatted with eachother and laughed. They shouted. They bellowed. They roared and yelled.

"Berrynose, come over here!"

"Hey, Reedwhisker, how are you doing?"

"Are the prey running smoothly?"

"How was your day?"

The loud noises hurt my ears. It was too much, all of it. I began to feel stuffy. My heart pounded furiously, and I crouched down and began to back away. Maybe I could get back to camp without anyone noticing…

"Oh, hey, there's that cat that I've been telling you about!"

I stiffened. There was a small group of apprentices a little while away. Dewpaw was among them. He called, "Come over here, Ashley!"

That was strange. Dewpaw had never liked me very much, and now he wanted to hang out? But I couldn't just ignore him.

I shyly padded over to the group and sat down. There was a tabby she-cat, a brown tom, and a tortoiseshell. Dewpaw grinned at me. But it was a funny grin, one that curled at the corners and widened at the ends like the Cheshire cat's. "She's a kittypet," he said to his friends.

I was not!

My tail bristled. He shouldn't make up lies and spread rumors about me! But he was only an apprentice, not much bigger than a kit. He probably didn't know any better. I forced my fur to lie flat.

The apprentices stared at me with fascination and contempt. The tabby she-cat wrinkled her nose. "Does that mean you eat kittypet food? Yuck! They look like rabbit dung and smell much worse. Why would anyone want to eat that?" I opened my mouth to speak, but the brown tom sneered, "Why would Bramblestar want to accept a kittypet into his Clan? I thought they were much too fat and dull to make a good warrior."

I quivered and looked down at my paws. I wanted to shrink and make myself invisible.

The tortoiseshell she-cat's fur was matted and dirty, as if she hadn't groomed herself in a moon. Her yellow eyes didn't shine and she spoke much too loudly. She shouted, "What was your name again? Ashley? That sounds so weird and different."

I was too shy and humiliated to speak. I peered around at the other cats for help, but they were paying no attention and chatting with eachother.

So this was a Gathering?

The apprentices guffawed and snickered. "How queer. How peculiar. How very strange indeed," they mewed. "Kittypets didn't belong in Clans." They snickered and hurled insults at me, while Dewpaw sneered. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. I wanted to disappear.

Luckily, Snowpaw came to my rescue. He dashed forwards and planted his paws firmly in front of them.

He hissed, "Don't make fun of her! Ashley's my friend!"

A friend. He said I was his friend?

Blackstar climbed up onto the branch of the pine tree and yowled, "The Gathering is about to begin! I will go first with my announcements."

A hush fell over the huge crowd like a blanket. Everyone was intent on listening to what the leaders were saying.

Snowpaw stayed by my side the entire time and didn't leave. He had said I was his friend.

_"Don't make fun of her! Ashley's my friend!" _I repeated the words over and over again in my head and pictured the scene.

_"Ashley's my friend!" _he had said.

And I thought, _How miraculous. _

When I was a human, I was always shy and quiet. I didn't talk much to other people. Instead, I would sit by myself and think quiet thoughts, never speaking, never talking, just sitting there without a sound like a still puddle after the rain. At times, I would feel very lonely indeed. Oh, yes, I did have a few acquaintances, but they were never very close.

And here was Snowpaw, who said that I was his friend.

"Snowpaw," I said, when the Gathering was over. He looked at me. "Yes?"

I closed my eyes and breathed, "Thank you."

I suddenly felt embarrassed, and scampered on ahead.


	9. Chapter 8-The Diviner

CHAPTER 8-The Diviner

_Some weeks later_

Life fell into a sort of routine. I would get up in the morning for the dawn patrol, hunt for the Clan, choke down my breakfast, learn some fighting skills with my mentor, hang out with Snowpaw, and what not. I began to lose hope of ever going back home again, and it pained me a lot. I tried not to dwell on the thought.

I decided to go to the meadow to try to escape from it all. It was sun-high, so the stars weren't out yet, but I could still feel their presence surrounding me.

It was peaceful. I lay down on the lush grass and stared up at the bright blue sky. When was the last time I tried to find pictures in the clouds?

There was a fish in the sky. And something with wings that could have been a dragon. The clouds formed butterflies too, and they fluttered along the sky with white fluffy wings. The tulips bobbed up and down with the breeze. Birds twittered and soared high above the sky. I closed my eyes and breathed in the smell of calm.

The grass nearby rustled, and something told me that it wasn't from the wind. There was someone here! I immediately sat up and looked around.

A slender, brown tail waved along with the ferns, and a shiny black nose poked out. For a moment, I felt annoyed. This was a secret place! No one was supposed to know about it except for Snowpaw and I. But the grass parted, and I realized that it wasn't a cat at all.

It was a weasel. I blinked in surprise. It looked like any other weasel, with its bristly brown fur and its sharp quivering nose, but on its back, it carried a sack. What was in it, I couldn't tell. There were shapes that rippled and squirmed in the cloth.

The weasel glanced at me. I stared back. A strange creature, I thought. But, it was only a ferret, and I settled back down on the grass to gaze at the clouds.

The creature made a dry coughing noise.

It rasped, "There you are, youngster. I was hoping I'd see you here."

I jumped back, startled. Since when could weasels talk to cats? The brown animal stood up on its hind legs and made a huffing noise, as if it was laughing. "Oh yes, of course I can talk. The world is my language, and I speak it. I can talk to cats, moles, birds, bears, humans, fish, whatever you wish."

She blinked at me. "I've found you at last," she said.

I tipped my head sideways, confused. "Were you looking for me?" I asked. I inched a few steps backwards, and I didn't know if I should trust her or not.

She set the sack down next to her and sat down. She curled her slender tail around her paws and said, "Yes, of course. But first, I must make introductions. I am Capella, the traveling weasel. I am a prophet, a dream catcher, a fortune-teller, the wish giver, the diviner, and whatever you wish to call me."

And then, Capella the weasel did a surprising thing. She closed her eyes, arched her long back, and bowed down deeply to me as if I were a queen. She bowed so intensely that her forehead almost touched the ground. She opened her eyes again. "And you are, of course, Ashley," she rasped.

"O-of course," I stammered.

What was going on? How did she know who I was? The weasel sat back down again and chittered in a strange language, as if she was talking to herself. Then she said, "Now, you must have a lot of questions running through that head of yours. Sit down, mistress, and I will tell you everything."

OoOoOoOooOoOoOoooOoOOoOoO

Capella said that she was no ordinary weasel. She was a traveler, and had journeyed to many places and had met many extraordinary people. According to her, she had even journeyed to Dreamland and back. She granted wishes and told fortunes, and she would arrive where ever she was needed.

"You asked for my help, yes?" she asked. I shook my head. "No. I've never even met you before."

"But of course you must have asked for my help. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here." She nodded up at the sky. "Remember, the falling stars? You wished to have wings, and I, Capella, the prophet, the dream catcher, fortune-teller, wish giver, and diviner, have arrived to grant you that request."

I gaped in surprise. She had heard that?

She nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I heard you, for the shooting stars are the ones with the magic. And so, I have arrived."

She continued, "But I also have to apologize because I cannot grant you that wish."

"Oh," I mewed. She couldn't grant my wish. Did that mean that she was nothing but a sham, a fake, and that she wasn't actually a prophet or a diviner?

Capella chittered again. "Of course I can grant wishes," she said. "But I choose not to, for you already have wings."

"What? I do?" I looked at myself. To my disappointment, I didn't have any feathers. There was nothing but sleek black cat fur.

She laughed. "No, no, not those kind of wings. They are tiny, and minute, and even though they haven't unfurled yet, I can still see that you have them. I am sure as sure. They pulse and beat with an invisible heart."

The sunlight shone down on her beady eyes like two black pearls. I peered at them, and strange beings seemed to be swirling around in them.

The weasel closed her eyes and nodded, and opened them again. She continued, "And I can see that they are no ordinary wings. No," she stared at me intensely, and for some reason, the two black pearls sent shivers down my spine.

"The wings," the weasel rasped. "They are merely faintly glowing embers right now, barely lit, but I can see that you will soar soon enough. You have a future ahead of you, a prophecy to fulfill, and you should have confidence."

She stepped forward and touched her nose to mine in respect.

I asked, "You said you were a fortune teller. Can you tell me my fortune?"

Capella chuckled, and said, "Of course, if you wish."

"You will rise above all, and soar higher and higher, up to the heavens and above. But there will be others who don't see keenly to feathers, and they will try to drag you down. Don't let that fluster you," she said.

She reached down into her sack and tipped it over. Millions of items and trinkets fell down onto the ground: dainty bones, round stones, chipped twigs, dried berries, a fossil, a hawk's talon, the remnants of what could be a crow's feather, a smooth stick, broken in half with claw marks crisscrossing it, and much, much more. I gaped in disbelief and awe.

Capella got a chipped, black rock out from the pile. From my studies, I knew that it was obsidian. It was smooth and shiny like dark water. She held it towards me. "It used to be an ember," she murmured. "Take it, for luck."

I stroked it with my paw. It felt cool and seemed to ripple when I touched the tiny cracks.

The weasel gathered up the rest of the items back into the bag and heaped it across her shoulders. She looked back and said, "Farewell, then, Ashley. I hope you live long and prosper."

I nodded. "Thanks."

I watched as the weasel slipped back into the ferns, and she began to journey once more, traveling to faraway places and distant lands to whoever called her.

I studied the shard of obsidian. I still found it hard to believe that she was actually a prophet, but who knows? I ran my paws over the stone. I would need all the luck I could find in order to survive in a place like this.


	10. Chapter 9-The Fiery Bird of Yore

CHAPTER 9-The Fiery Bird of Yore

In the darkness of the den, I could see Snowpaw's amber eyes gleam at me. It was nighttime, and somewhere far away, an owl hooted. The crickets chirped their neverending song in the clear evening air.

He whispered, "Can you tell me a story?"

I shrugged. "Eh…I'm really not the best storyteller."

"Please?" He flattened his ears and made puppy dog eyes at me. I shrugged again. "Alright then…let me think of one."

I searched my memories for all the stories that I've ever heard of.

"Well," I mewed. "What I'm about to tell isn't exactly a story…is that still okay?"

His ears perked up with excitement. "Oh course!"

I continued, "Once, long ago, there lived a marvelous bird called a phoenix. It burned brighter than any star, brighter even than the sun. It had wings made of fire, and its claws and beak were made out of steel that was shaped into perfection by a blacksmith's hammer. When it screeched, it sounded like thunder, and it shook the skies like an earthquake. It stood taller than any mountain, and its feathers gleamed and crackled like flame. It shone blue and orange, red and yellow, like the heart of a fireplace."

Snowpaw listened with wide eyes.

I continued, "But the most extraordinary of a phoenix, is its ability to live for all eternity. It builds a nest of twigs and lights it on fire with its wings, and then lets itself burn into ashes. But the phoenix never dies. Instead, it is born again from the ashes, with its feathers as bright as ever, and rises again to fly a new day."

Snowpaw breathed, "Wow. Have you ever seen one?"

I smiled. "Of course not. They're not real."

Amberpaw and Lilypaw scooted closer to us. Their ears perked forward. Amberpaw whispered, "Tell us more, Ashley!" I didn't realize that they were listening as well.

I felt a bit shy from the attention I was getting, and then mewed, "There's another creature called a griffon…"

I talked the night away. I chattered about Pegasi, unicorns, fairies and elves, gremlins and harlequins. I sang about fairytales and lands were knights and kings clashed in castles. My voice was a storybook, and the apprentices were my audience. I took them on a journey up to the clouds, where the animals talked and the giants shook the hills. There was a story about a beanstalk, another one about a poisoned apple, and yet another one with a golden bird.

"…a dragon is the most magnificent of them all. Some of them breathe fire, others can fly, and others are longer than the whole length of the lake. And some of them bring good luck and fortune. They can conjure up storms, make rain fall, and lower the sun. They tower upwards like mountains and their scales gleam like glass in the sun, coloring the valleys with silvers and golds."

Dewpaw scoffed. "They're not real."

I ignored him. "And when they fly, their wings unfurl and blossom upwards like huge billows of colorful clouds, with green and orange, white and purple. The dragons can dance, and they sing sometimes with a heavenly voice."

Dewpaw muttered something under his breath and looked away.

Lilypaw yawned. Seedpaw was already beginning to fall asleep. I looked out the den, and realized that the moon was almost in the middle of the sky. Had I been talking for that long?

Snowpaw snuggled next to me. He closed his eyes and whispered, "My favorite was the phoenix. Imagine, living forever! And the griffin…"

I stared up at the dark ceiling as I listened to his breathing. The phoenix…

It never died. Instead, it stoked itself a fire and jumped in, and then rose from the ashes to start a new life. It lived for a century, more than a century, more than a millennium. Did a phoenix get lonely, I wondered? When all of the other creatures died of old age and it was the only one left, did it feel desolate sometimes?

I felt the smooth roughness of the obsidian underneath my mossy nest. I had tucked it into the moss and hidden it from the other cats. A single beam of moonlight shone from the night and cast its glow on the black stone, making it gleam like a single star.

And what the weasel had said. I thought about her for a long time before I finally went to sleep. The fiery image of a bird, made out of flames, burned itself deeply into my mind.


	11. Chapter 10-The Darklings

**Okay, I finally got over my writing block. I don't think this chapter is very good, though. Anyway, here it is.**

Chapter 10-The Darklings

I watched hopelessly as the mouse slithered away from my grasp and disappeared into the undergrowth. It was my third moon in the Clans, and I was still a terrible apprentice. My hunting skills were pathetic and my fighting abilities were even worse compared to Lilypaw, Seedpaw, and the other apprentices.

Dewpaw sneered at me when he saw that I wasn't able to catch any prey at all. He had managed to capture two sparrows, a vole, a small hare and a robin, and the other apprentices also had a huge heap of fresh-kill by their paws. I flattened my ears in embarrassment.

As we headed back towards the camp, I couldn't help but be jealous of Snowpaw. He was always one step in front of me, and whenever I finally managed to catch up to him, he was gone. He was always the best hunter, the best fighter, and the best apprentice any Clan would ever want. Even the forest seemed to admire him. The slender branches of the trees appeared to bow down to him whenever he passed by, and the sun saluted him with its warm rays. He looked like a statue in the sunlight, warm and solid, strong and proud. I could see that he was going to grow up into a great warrior.

And me? I had no hope at all.

It had rained the other night, and my paws were brown with the thick mud. I wrinkled my nose in annoyance. A few puddles were lying around, and I glanced down at my reflection. A black cat stared back at me from the calm and still water. Its eyes were all flame and fire, flickering and leaping like tiny embers. The eyes were nothing but orange and red, yellow and blue. Those were my eyes. I blinked, and leaned closer to my reflection in the puddle.

Dewpaw stopped and called, "Hurry up, slowpoke! The rest of us don't want to wait for you."

The fiery eyes hardened, and seemed to glow brighter with an inner ferocity, like flames, like fire. The smoke gathered in my mind and snuffed out my thoughts so that I couldn't think clearly.

I looked up, and saw that I was alone in the forest. The other apprentices must have left without me. Oh, well. I needed to be alone so that I could think.

I tore my gaze from the puddle and began to sprint past the trees, in the opposite direction of the camp. Normally, I would have dashed up to the secret meadow in the clearing, but I didn't. It reminded me too much of Snowpaw. He was a better warrior than I could ever be. Jealousy flared up inside me.

I ran for what seemed like hours.

The ground beneath me eventually became rockier, and the grass disappeared. I awkwardly climbed over boulders and pebbles. My paws couldn't get a decent hold on the crevices.

Finally, I plopped down on soft ground again, and I paused to rest. The envy inside me had sizzled down into a dull ache. It wasn't fair. Why did I have to be here? Why did I have to a cat and be stuck in ThunderClan? I wanted to go home.

Home.

I hadn't thought about that place for a long time. A familiar emptiness echoed in my heart, and I quickly shoved the thoughts away. I didn't want to remember it. It would bring too much pain.

I buried my face in my paws and breathed in the smell of the brown undergrowth. It smelled old and musty, like an ancient spice that had been stored away for years and years in a childhood cellar. The trees swayed to the wind and crackled.

Something struck me as odd. I was used to the birds chirping and singing, but here, there was nothing but silence. The sun seemed colder, somehow. Even the scents of the undergrowth and leaves were different. The ground was barren with no trace of grass, and the sky was a darker shade of blue. Something about this place chilled the air. I shivered, and my fur prickled.

The trees seemed to be talking, and I strained my ears. The leaves whispered and huddled together, and whispered. I could barely make out the words.

_She is the one…_

_ She came._

_ She's here! _

A single breeze traced its fingers over my neck, and even though it was only a slight touch, it chilled me to the bone. I winced and drew back with a small cry.

_Hush now, child. Be still, for they may hear you._

Was I imagining voices? The wind sighed softly.

I looked around at my surroundings. The black rocks jutted out from the ground like huge spikes, and the skies and trees were lifeless. The leaves brushed against each other and whispered.

"Is someone there?" I called nervously.

A chorus of voices seemed to rise with the wind.

_Don't say a word!_

_ Be silent!_

_ Be still!_

_ Thou must be quiet, dearie, or they will find you._

I blinked. "What do you mean by 'they'?" I whispered.

There seemed to be three voices in the emptiness of the breeze. One of them murmured, _The Darklings, child. They are blacker than any night, and prowl deep in the crevices of the inky depths. They sleep not._

Another voice breathed, _This is a bad place to be in. Why are you here?_

"I…I was just exploring," I stammered. "Where are you?" Who were these voices? They seemed to be coming from nowhere, and they echoed and mingled with each other like lost sprites. They sounded melancholy and mournful.

_In truth, to say at least, we are nobodys. Oh yes, once, long ago, we might have had bodies and minds and places of our own, but those times were long lost. _

_ We are lost souls, _said another cracked voice. _With nowhere to go and nowhere to be. We aimlessly wander the Boneyard and try to find our way back._

The first voice whispered, _When we were still cats, the Darklings found us. They snatched us up like feathers and reaped our souls from our bodies. They planned to devour us like any other spirit would, but the three of us managed to escape. _

The voice moaned, softly, and I had an impulse to cover my ears.

_We have lost our way. We don't know where to go now, for the Darklings have fogged up our memories and made the path in front of us murky. We are destined to forever travel the Boneyard, in this cold place of ash and dust. So cold, so cold…_

My heart pounded in my chest.

One of the souls whispered, almost hopefully, _But no, all is not lost, for you have arrived._

I pricked my ears up. "Huh?"

_We have heard, from the deepest corners of the Lake, that a savior would come, a cat that would arrive to bring peace to all the lands. And I have no doubt that that cat is you, missus._

I wanted to interrupt him, to say, "No, wait, you've got it all wrong. I don't know what you're talking about." But the voice sounded so hopeful, so sorrowful, that I couldn't bring myself to say it.

_Oh, yes. We have heard. The prophecy says that a cat will arrive, a cat with wings of orange and red, with a heart so bright that it shone like the sun, and that she would come and help us all. You came. You came!_

The voices rose to a soft chorus, and I felt the wind brush my cheek. It was stone cold. I instinctively flinched.

_Our savior has come, _it whispered. _You shine brighter than any sun._

Suddenly, I stiffened. I began to feel uneasy, as if something unseen was crouching in the undergrowth. I spun around, but there was nothing there, nothing but the barren ground where no living things grew. The sky was grey. The whole place seemed to be holding its breath as the thing lurched in the shadows and crouched. In the back of my mind, I pictured an old, ancient creature, with pebbles for eyes, sticks for teeth, and a stone for a heart. It dripped a black substance, and smelled damp and musty like the deepest depths of the murky night.

_Run, missus. Run far away from here._

_ It is there. We feel its presence. You must run now, or you could suffer the same fate as us!_

_ Run, girl! Run!_

The voices rose to a wail. The wind picked up and lashed at me with invisible claws. Without wasting a second, I sprang to my paws and began to sprint. I clambered over the solid rocks, and it slowed me down. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a flicker of movement. It made no sound, but I could feel it slinking after me.

The rough stone scraped my paws and I desperately lurched forwards. I had to get out of here! I didn't know why, but something about this place made me feel nervous and antsy.

And the voices. Had I imagined them? What were the Darklings?

I slipped and tumbled off onto firm ground. The grass tickled my nose, and I sneezed. Something was coming up behind me, but I didn't dare look. I quickly leaped to my paws again and continued running.

The trees flashed past me, and my legs were a blur as I dashed past.

The dark presence behind me seemed to be fading, but I didn't stop until I was a long distance away.

I stopped next to a bush to catch my breath. The birds twittered and sang from the branches, and the undergrowth rustled with beetles and mice. The sun shone warmly from the bright blue sky. I was safe, and was far away from the place they called the Boneyard.

But where was I? This part of the forest didn't look familiar.

A wave of panic swept over me. Was I lost? I couldn't be!

Desperately, I wandered to and fro, trying to find my way back. None of the trees looked familiar! None of the landmarks were the same!

I wanted to cry. What was I supposed to do now?

"Bramblestar!" I wailed. "Snowpaw! Millie!" I even called for Dewpaw. But no one answered my cries, and I felt lonelier than ever.

I was lost again. I lay down next to the trunk of an old tree to rest my paws. "Help!" I called. "Snowpaw! Millie!" An owl stared down at me with huge, round eyes. "Who? Who?" it rumbled.

My stomach growled, but I didn't have the heart to try to hunt. I sank down lower onto the grass. Was I doomed to forever wander the forest, lost and cold like the souls in the Boneyard?

A twig snapped from among the bushes. I leaped to my feet and pricked my ears up. I was hopeful that someone had come, but on a deeper level, I felt uncertain for some reason. A small prickle of doubt embedded itself in my mind.

The bushes stopped rustling, and lay still. I hesitantly took a step forward. "Hello?"

And suddenly, a flash of bright crimson fur exploded from the undergrowth and bowled me over. The breath was knocked out of me as it pinned me to the ground.

A fox stood over me. His yellow eyes were hard and unblinking, and his muzzle was scarred. I flattened my ears and stared up at him with wide eyes. I was too scared and shocked to do anything.

Another smaller fox was standing nearby. For a while, they chittered and snarled at each other in their strange fox language. Their voices were sharp and harsh, and they seemed to be arguing.

I squirmed and wiggled underneath him, but he pinned me down tight. I couldn't escape.

Oh, no. I'm going to die…

A sharp, hoarse voice sounded from the bushes, and another fox stepped out. It barked at the other two. She must have been the leader, for they nodded and ducked their heads.

She looked at me, and smirked. My heart pounded against my chest like a bird trying to escape.

The fox leaned down closer to me, and I could smell her sharp, rotten breath and the stench of crowfood on her scarlet fur.

She spoke in the cat's language, in a voice that was high and metallic. "So this is where you've been hiding." She chuckled. "Well, we're going to have to take you to our place." Her voice hardened, and the smile disappeared. "It's best that you don't try to escape."

The fox that had pinned me down now loosened his grip on me, ever so slightly. On a sudden impulse, I raked my claw over his face, and he reared back, howling. I leaped to my paws and dashed away.

Immediately, the smaller fox charged at me, and he was surprisingly strong. He knocked me face down onto the ground and pinned me down. Some of the dirt got into my nose, and I sneezed.

"She's a slippery one, Scarlet," he barked to the leader. "Are you sure she's the one?"

Scarlet trotted over and snarled, "Don't ever doubt me, Nettle. I'm as sure as sure. She's the one the prophecy wants."

She nodded at the second fox. Blood welled up from where I had scratched him, and he scowled at me angrily. The red rivers dripped down from his chin, and it made him look like he was crying tears of blood.

He bent over and whispered in my ear, "You'll pay for that, little kittypet. You'll pay dearly." I flinched as I caught a whiff of his rotten breath.

Scarlet barked something in the fox language, and they forced me to start walking with them.

Scarlet led the way, and the smallest fox, Nettle, trotted behind me. The one with the scratches plodded next to my side, and he growled low in his throat. I gulped, and shuffled forward with halting steps.

Should I try to escape? But they were much faster than me, and would surely be able to tackle me down.

Oh, Snowpaw. Where are you?

Nettle butted his head against my rear and barked, "Move it, cat! Walk faster."

Scarlet suddenly stopped walking. She tipped her head back and sniffed the air.

The fox with the weeping red scratches asked uncertainly, "What's wrong?"

"Quiet, Titus. I sense something."

I strained to listen, but I could hear nothing except birdsong.

Scarlet stiffened. "It's here," she said. "Why is it here?"

Nettle murmured, "Well, the Boneyard isn't that far away."

"But it's never ventured this deep into the forest before."

Something flashed in the corner of my eye. It melted into the woods like a liquid shadow.

I whimpered and crouched low to the ground.

Titus took a step back and growled, "The cat. It wants the cat."

Me? It wants _me?_

Another brief flash of darkness in the forest, and another. It seemed to be circling us.

The birds had stopped singing.

Scarlet muttered something under her breath and swore. Her fur prickled, and she suddenly yelled, "Run!"

Nettle butted my shoulder and sent me flying fore wards. Titus grunted. He bent down and heaved me onto his shoulders in one strong, smooth movement, and I landed with a small cry onto his back.

Something had spooked the foxes. They were running with a desperate ferocity, with their eyes wide and their ears flattened against their heads. Something flit from the darkness and seemed to be following us. I caught a whiff of its sour stench. It smelled old and musty, like a forgotten star that had fallen from the night long ago.

Scarlet barked, "We can't let it take the cat! The cat is ours!"

Their feet pounded on the ground and I bounced on Titus's back, willing myself not to fall off.

The forest seemed to moan, and shudder, and sigh. The trees groaned and creaked, and the branches seemed to move on their own.

And then, all of a sudden, the thing in the shadows was gone. I felt relieved, as if a great weight had lifted off my shoulders.

Slowly, hesitantly, the birds began to sing again, one by one.

The foxes slowed to a walk.

I took it as my chance. I took a deep breath, and leaped from Titus's back. My paws landed on the grass and I speeded away.

Scarlet howled angrily.

I heard them running after me, but I didn't look back.

"Help!" I screamed. "Someone help!"

A familiar feline head popped up from the bushes. It was Squirrelflight.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the three foxes chasing me, but then she got up and charged at them.

Berrynose and Cinderheart appeared from behind her and hurled themselves at the foxes.

Scarlet snarled in fury and spat, "You wait, kittypet! We're going to get you! We're going to get you!"

She sounded so angry, and her beady eyes were scorched like fire.

She dodged most of the warriors' blows, but then beckoned at her companions and fled back to the trees.

I whimpered and shuffled backwards. What did she want from me?

Squirrelflight paused to catch her breath, and then demanded, "Where were you?"

She sounded angrier than I expected. I stammered, "Uh…I-I was on a hunting patrol with apprentices, and I got lost…"

The she-cat snapped, "How could you be so careless? The whole Clan was looking for you! If it weren't for us, the foxes would have killed you!"

Cinderheart murmured, "Squirrelflight, calm down."

I felt a hint of anger bloom up inside me. The whole Clan was looking for me? The whole Clan was worried about me? Those were lies! The Clan didn't care anything about me. They wouldn't care if I had disappeared. I didn't even belong here!

I spun away from the cats and stomped away. The landmarks were familiar now, and I recognized the path to the ThunderClan camp.

I trudged over to the apprentice's den and sank down onto the moss with a quiet sigh. A lot had happened today.

The anger boiled inside me. If Dewpaw had come into the den right then, I would have clawed his ears off no matter what. But luckily, he didn't.

Instead, it was Seedpaw.

"Ashley, you're back!"

I murmured something in reply. She looked worried.

The apprentice mewed, "You've got some scratches on your pelt. You should probably let Jayfeather check them before they get infected."

I probably got the scratches from when I blundered into a bramble patch. I nodded, and heaved myself up to my paws.

On tired feet, I slowly made my way to the medicine cat's den.

Jayfeather gazed at me with his blind eyes as I entered. He got up and sighed. "Alright, let's see where you're hurt."

OoOoOoOoOoOOOOooOooooOOo

I rested in the den with the chewed up herbs on my scratches. Jayfeather sorted through the plants and we watched each other in awkward silence.

I suddenly asked, "Do you know about the Boneyard?"

Jayfeather's gaze widened, and he quickly turned away. "Of course not," he meowed briskly. "No one's supposed to know about that."

I moved closer and mewed, "Please, I want to know more about it! And do you know what Darklings are?"

Jayfeather suddenly turned and spat, "How do you know these things? Did someone tell you?"

"Well…sort of." I didn't mention the lost souls. He must think I was insane if I did.

I suddenly felt dizzy and light-headed, and lay my head across the moss. Jayfeather muttered, "Just rest. You don't need to know anything about that stuff."

My eyelids felt so heavy. I was exhausted. I slowly closed my eyes and felt the comforting presence of sleep wash over me.


	12. Chapter 11-A Murder of Crows

Chapter 11-A Murder of Crows

Jayfeather stared at the still sleeping form of Ashley as she slept. _How would she know about the Boneyard? _he wondered. _Could it be…_

Ashley had been odd right from the start. She had suddenly appeared in the middle of ThunderClan territory, didn't like to eat fresh-kill, and she didn't smell anything like a cat. Her scent was different. It was faintly familiar and slightly bitter. Where did she come from? Who was she, really?

Jayfeather crouched down in front of her and gazed at her closed eyes. _It wouldn't hurt if I took a peak at her dreams._

He closed his eyes and listened to her steady breathing, and forced himself to match hers. Soon, they became one. Their pulse was the same, their heartbeat was the same, and Jayfeather felt his mind slip into hers.

He blinked in his surroundings. He was in a Twolegplace, in someone's backyward. Ashley was standing with her back to him, and he quickly ducked behind a tree before she could see him.

She seemed to be talking to someone, but he couldn't make out the words. His eyes widened when he saw her morph. At first she was a cat, but as he watched, her tail and fur disappeared, and she transformed into a Twoleg. Her words changed into an undecipherable language that he did not know.

_What was happening? _he thought.

And then he was whizzed away to another place, where the sky was an ashen grey and the ground was cold and bare. Sharp, black rocks jutted out from the dirt. He felt his hackles rise as a wind brushed him.

_I know this place…_

He had only been to it once in his life, and that one time was enough to convince him to stay away for good.

_This is the Boneyard._

He knew that if he brushed away all the dirt and dust underneath him, all the rubble and grime, it would reveal piles and piles of bone that stretched out for miles under the ground. They were cat's bones, and they seemed to shiver underneath him with an inner ice.

The Boneyard was a place where even StarClan shied away from, and where no living thing dared to wander. It was a place of misery and contempt, of dust and long forgotten memories.

Jayfeather wondered, _Why was Ashley dreaming about something like this? _

Even though it was just a dream, he noticed every detail, every fine pinprick of the place just the way he remembered it. _She's been to the Boneyard, _he realized. _And she had survived. _For some reason, the Darklings had been too slow to take her, and she had managed to escape.

And where was Ashley?

He spun around, but she wasn't there. The skies grew darker and darker. The whole land was engulfed in a rich darkness that smelled of damp misery and cold despair.

Jayfeather's eyes flew open, and he was awake. He was blind again.

He could smell Ashley's odd scent next to him, and the spicy aroma of the dried herbs wafting through the den.

_She's been to places no cat has ever been to before. What are her memories? _he thought.

She stirred from the mossy nest. "Jayfeather?" she asked, surprised.

He mewed, "You're awake." The medicine cat was sure of one thing: she wasn't a cat. What she was, he couldn't imagine.

He shifted onto his paws and sat up. _Could she be the cat from the prophecy? _He blinked in confusion. _Of course not. I don't like to admit it, but she's not the best apprentice out there. She's not strong enough._

Ashley shifted in the nest and mewed, "Well, I think my scratches are fine now. Thanks."

"Yeah, sure."

He watched her slip away from the den and outside. Even if she might not be the cat from the prophecy, he knew for sure that there was something strange about her.

_I'll have to keep an eye on her, _he decided, and then turned away to sort his herbs.

OoOoOOoOoOOoOoOO

The land was beginning to darken with rain when Jayfeather padded out of his den. A few drops landed on his nose and he hissed in annoyance. Turning his head, he called, "Briarlight! Get me some more marigold before it starts to downpour."

The lithe she-cat nodded and dragged herself out of the camp. Jayfeather looked up at the dark gray sky. The sun was hidden behind clouds.

The raindrops pattered down lightly onto the dirt and seeped beneath the dry cracks on the ground. He closed his eyes and ran his thoughts over the Clan. He could sense Bramblestar in his den, grooming himself. He could almost see the warriors bickering in the edges of the territory.

A shadow swept over his gaze and he stiffened. He opened his blind eyes again and felt the tall form of a crow staring down at him. There were twelve of them; he felt them gaze at him sternly on the perch of a slender tree.

"What are you looking at?" he hissed, and turned away. He could still feel their watchful eyes at the back of his head, and he paused. They seemed to be telling him something.

The crows did nothing. They sat there on the branches and watched. And waited.

_A murder of crows, _Jayfeather realized. _An omen? _His fur prickled with the cold.

He stared back at them sternly with his sightless eyes, and could feel them shifting and poking around on their perch.

The crows cawed ominously.

_Yes, _Jayfeather thought. _Something's going to happen soon._

He had no doubt that bringing Ashley into the Clan would be a big mistake.

The crows cawed again, mingling the scent of the rain with their stench of crowfood and bad luck.


	13. Chapter 12-A Nightingale Means Longing

CHAPTER 12- A Nightingale Means Longing

The sunlight's warm rays peeked through the low-hanging boughs of the trees and chased the darkness away. It warmed my black pelt as I hurried after the warriors on the dawn patrol.

The attack from the foxes was still fresh in my mind, and Bramblestar had taken precautions to make sure that they didn't harm another cat: no kit was allowed out of camp, every apprentice must be accompanied by two warriors, and the elders had to stay in their dens for the majority of the time. I was with Lionblaze and Brackenfur, but still, I was wary.

I felt invisible eyes stare at me from the cover of the undergrowth. Their gazes bored into the back of my head. _Yes, there's someone behind me, _I would think, but whenever I turned around to look, there would be no one there.

Dewpaw huffed, "Scaredy-cat. If the foxes had been chasing _me, _I would have clawed their noses off then and there."

I paid no attention to his crude remarks. I had gotten used to them, and had learned to ignore him whenever he was around. His words were nothing but empty air and white dust.

The dawn patrol continued to mark the borders.

Snowpaw's ears suddenly pricked up, and he dove underneath a bush. I opened my mouth to ask what he was doing, but quickly, he reemerged. He had a mouse hanging from his jaws.

Brackenfur nodded with approval.

I ducked my head in embarrassment and looked away. When was the last time _I _had caught a mouse? Since never. I really was the worst hunter. We continued on in silence.

A rotten stench wafted towards me and I wrinkled my nose. Lilypaw said jokingly, "Hey, Dewpaw, I think you've got too much gas."

Dewpaw hissed, "Shut up."

Lionblaze mewed calmly, "We're just nearing the ShadowClan border. Don't worry, we'll leave after we've remarked our territory."

The horrid smell strengthened as we stepped closer and closer. My mind reeled and I choked back the urge to gag. So this was what ShadowClan cats smelled like.

I hurried away, anxious to leave, and nearly tripped over the carcass of a rabbit.

I leaned down to examine it. Had a fox been eating it? But no, the teeth marks were too large and ragged. Flies buzzed around the dried blood and tickled my eyes.

Lionblaze noticed me and trotted forward.

He narrowed his eyes when he saw the half-eaten, mangled corpse.

"So the ShadowClan cats have been stealing our prey, eh?" he growled. His fur began to bristle, and there was a dangerous gleam in his eye. I began to back away slowly.

I mewed, "We don't know for sure if it's ShadowClan. It could be a fox, or a dog, or something else."

Lionblaze nudged the dead rabbit in disgust. "Of course it's ShadowClan," he growled. "It's lying so close to their border. And their scent is all over it."

He looked up and called, "Brackenfur, come look at this!"

The elderly tom bounded forwards and sniffed at the carcass. He rumbled, "This is ShadowClan's doing, for sure. I'll tell Bramblestar right away."

I asked, "But it's only one rabbit. I don't think we should make such a big fuss over it."

Lionblaze and Brackenfur looked surprised. Dewpaw rolled his eyes, as if I had made a dumb statement.

I looked down and shuffled my paws as I felt their stares searing into me.

Brackenfur meowed gently, "Of course. I forgot. You're not a natural born forest cat, so of course you don't know."

I blinked in confusion.

He continued, "Every wild creature in the forest has the will to move on and continue living. It's the first rule of the wilderness. Everything has to live and push on until the very end. And sometimes, that forces us to do whatever we can to survive, even if it means risking lives and stealing prey.

"Food must be scarce in ShadowClan's territory, so that might be the reason they're stealing our prey. If we don't stop them, they'll take more and more until there will be no food left for ThunderClan."

I spoke up. "But it's just one little rabbit they took. Can't we just share it?"

Brackenfur sighed in exasperation.

Dewpaw meowed, "That's not the way the forest works, mouse-brain. Only the strong can survive, and they have to do anything they can to keep their rights, prey, and territory. It's either kill or be killed."

He added tauntingly, "Of course, you wouldn't understand, since you weren't forest-born."

I looked away shamefully.

Lionblaze slowly stood up and mewed, "That's enough, Dewpaw. Well, we'd better hurry up on the patrol and then tell Bramblestar about the prey-stealing. Come along, now."

OoOoOOoOoooOOOoOoOoOoOooOo

As soon as we finished our tasks for the day, Snowpaw and I hurried to our secret place. The sun was just going down, but still, the earth held in some of the warmth.

The long grass tickled my nose like green fingers, and I breathed in the warm, dusty smell of the land. A nightingale perched on a slender branch and sang the last notes of its dream song. It sounded melancholy and melodious at the same time, and its singing wrapped itself around us.

Snowpaw settled himself down next to me, and I looked up at the first stars appeared in the darkening violet air.

The sunset was so beautiful. It painted the orange sky with fireworks, with pink hues and reds, greens and purples.

Snowpaw murmured, "Hey, Ashley…I just want to let you know, if there's anything troubling you, you tell me, okay?"

I was surprised for a moment. "Sure."

The white apprentice mewed, "And don't listen to Dewpaw. His words are meaningless and his head is empty."

We watched the stars for a while in silence. They twinkled up there with a magic of their own. There were thousands of them, more than a thousand, more than a million. If they had voices, they would be singing a liquid song.

"Do you think we'll have to go to war with ShadowClan?" I asked uncertainly.

Snowpaw shrugged. "Maybe, if they don't stop stealing our prey." He didn't seem at all bothered by it. Maybe it was another instinct of wild cats, to not feel any fear during battle.

Of course, what was there for him to be afraid of? He had the best fighting skills, and whenever he was in trouble, he had a whole army of Clanmates to back him up and aid him.

Here, I had no one. My fur prickled at the feeling of a possible war. I was certain that I would be the first to die.

The stars harmonized, and before long, Snowpaw had fallen asleep. I let him lean on my shoulder as I felt his warm breath on my chest.

He was so fluffy and cute. I always had a soft spot for kittens. A human fetish, I guess.

I sighed with the wind and felt my mind wander to other places.

OoOoOoOoOooOoOooOOOOooOOoOOOo

I was dreaming that I was a star. I twinkled high up above the trees, up to the far off borders of the sky and beyond.

Down below me, I saw all the paths that I had crossed, all of the highways and hilltops, and the Lake. It glimmered in its depths like a mirror, and I admired my reflection.

I heard familiar voices echo from far away.

_You shine brighter than any star, _said Capella.

_You smell like a bird of paradise. That's my favorite flower! _chirped Snowkit.

Millie mewed quietly, _I welcome you._

_ The prophecy says that a cat will arrive…and that she would come and help us all. You came. You came! _the lost spirits whispered.

I looked down and saw my home, my real home, with my parents and family and friends.

The front lawn was lush with the short green grass, with tiny yellow flowers that nestled in between. A large bush with bright red blossoms nearly covered the entire wall. The pale shingles on the roof overlapped like fish scales, and the front door was unlocked and opened. Yes. It was just how I remembered it. And if I happened to take a peek at the backyard, there would be a swimming pool, and a scraggly orange tree, and roses and daises and hollyhocks bobbing up and down in the breeze.

My home, I thought. I willed myself to float down and down towards it. It was so close, I could almost touch it.

The open door began to close, very slowly. No! Wait for me! I'm almost there!

Something grabbed my arm, and I looked to see what it was.

It was Snowpaw, and he blinked at me with amber eyes. He mewled, _Ashley, don't go. I'd miss you too much._

Capella was hanging on my other arm. _Mistress, you must stay._

A cold wind brushed against me, and there was a very faint cat face. It was hardly there at all, and it was thin and transparent like a cloud. It rasped in a needling and almost forgotten voice, _You must save us! Help us!_

Another spirit wound its way across my arms and held me tight. _Thou must stay, fair maiden. The prophecy says that a savior will come, and you came!_

The third sighed, _Stay. Stay._

Slowly, the front door of my house creaked closed, until only a thin strip of hope was left.

"No!" I yowled.

Snowpaw mewed, "Stay."

Capella rasped, "Stay."

The three lost souls whispered, "Stay with us."

The front door shut entirely.

I felt the tears move silently down my cheeks.

Snowpaw buried his face in my chest and sighed.


	14. Chapter 13-War

CHAPTER 13-War

Most of the Clan had left for the Gathering, and I anxiously waited for them in the apprentice's den.

Luckily, Bramblestar had chosen me as one of the cats who would stay and guard the camp while they were gone. I shuddered at the memory of my first Gathering.

I was the only apprentice who didn't go, so the silence was stifling.

It felt good to be alone, though. I could have all of the thoughts to myself.

I traced the outline of the obsidian underneath my nest and gazed up at the silver-lined moon.

The whispers of the lost spirits echoed in my ears. They wanted me to save them, somehow. But from what? The Darklings? What were the Darklings, anyway? And the Boneyard…?

The whispers of a possible war murmured in my fur. What would Blackstar say when Bramblestar asked him about the prey-stealing?

I was beginning to nod off to sleep when the Gathering was over. The apprentices slinked into the den and curled up on their beds. However, they were much too excited to fall asleep.

Amberpaw shuddered. "I never knew Blackstar could look so frightening when he's angry."

Lilypaw nodded. "I sure don't want to mess with him."

I quickly sat up and asked, "What happened?"

Amberpaw looked at me and explained, "Well, when Bramblestar accused Blackstar of stealing prey, Blackstar got pretty mad. He growled and said that Bramblestar was talking nonsense and that he didn't know what he was talking about. They got into an argument then, and the other cats got into a riot. Luckily, StarClan covered the moon soon after that, and no one was hurt. Blackstar sort of left in a huff."

"Oh," I murmured.

Dewpaw flexed his claws. They glinted silver in the light of the moon, and I flinched when I imagined them rip into flesh. He mewed, "I hope there's a battle! I'd like to try out my fighting skills."

All of the other apprentices seemed eager too, but I was nervous. My sleep that night was dreamless and uneasy.

OoOoOOOOOOooOoOooOooOoooooOooooO

The first time ShadowClan stole prey, Bramblestar didn't really pay much attention to it. However, the second, third, and fourth times were different.

The ThunderClan patrols found more half-eaten carcasses of dead prey. They all reeked of ShadowClan.

Whenever a warrior reported another carcass, Bramblestar would scowl and his amber eyes would narrow and darken. He would look like a gargoyle then, crouching down with his jaws parted and his eyes forming a hardened stone glare. I made sure to keep away whenever he looked like that.

A ShadowClan apprentice was seen crossing our border one time. He was chasing a squirrel, and even though he had been too far away to recognize, the ShadowClan smell from him was strong. He dashed back across the border before the warriors could catch him.

The Clan began to grow antsy and restless. The warriors flexed their claws and sharpened them on old logs, and the apprentices wrestled with each other and practiced their fighting moves. Snowpaw and I had stopped going to the secret place. It was dangerous to try. There might be foxes there, or maybe a ShadowClan warrior who had been brave enough to cross the border.

Finally, one dreary morning, Bramblestar had decided that he had had enough. He made up his mind to go over to ShadowClan and have a talk with Blackstar. The tom chose five cats to go with him: Squirrelflight, Lionblaze, Dewpaw, Sorreltail, and me.

I was surprised when he chose me. He told me that he wanted me to come so that I could have experience.

We headed out of the camp and began to journey to the border. As we neared it, I saw mangled bodies of the prey that the ShadowClan cats had neglected to eat. I wrinkled my nose as the familiar stench grew stronger. The soil gave way to crumbling, dark moss, and numerous pine trees dotted the horizon. Pale-skinned mushrooms poked up from the earth.

A rat chittered at me from the undergrowth and glared at me with a bloodshot eye.

Finally, Bramblestar ordered us to halt, and we waited at the edge of our border.

Dewpaw was restless. He bounded around in excitement until the leader snapped at him to stop. Even then, the grey apprentice wiggled from ear to toe and could hardly keep still.

A twig crackled on the other side, and Lionblaze mewed, "They're coming."

A patrol of three cats appeared. Their whiskers twitched when they saw us, but they didn't say anything. I took a step backwards and shivered. They looked fierce and hungry, and I didn't want anything to do with them. I wanted to go back to the camp where I was safe. Brackenfur laid his tail across my shoulder and blinked at me kindly, as if he sensed my fear. I ducked down and shuffled my paws awkwardly.

Oakfur, the small brown tom, sighed wearily and mewed, "Alright then. What do you want, Bramblestar?"

The ThunderClan leader stood up stiffly and swept his tail over the dead bodies of prey. "ShadowClan has been stealing our food," he hissed coldly.

Toadfoot leaped forward and yowled, "How dare you accuse us! How many times do we have to tell you? We didn't do it!"

Brackenfur replied calmly, "Don't deny it. They reek of your scent."

Bramblestar said, "I need to talk to Blackstar." He lashed his tail impatiently.

The black tom, Smokefoot, flexed his claws against the soft moss and snarled, "No. You'll have to get through us first."

Dewpaw fluffed out his fur and bounced forward. "There's five of us, and only three of you. If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get."

Oakfur narrowed his eyes. "Why you hairy little furball," he growled, and advanced one step towards the apprentice.

Dewpaw gulped and dove behind Lionblaze. Bramblestar twitched his ear. "Silence, Dewpaw," he mewed sternly.

Toadfoot eyed us wearily. He exchanged some words with his Clanmates, and then meowed, "The apprentice does have a point. We will escort you to our camp, then."

Oakfur warned, "Don't try anything."

We crossed the border towards ShadowClan territory. Oakfur took the lead with us behind him, and Toadfoot and Smokefoot took up the rear.

My paws squelched on the damp moss, and I winced.

The tall pine trees towered above us and looked cold and unfriendly. The sky was a cloudy grey.

As we neared their camp, I could smell the scents of many cats. We were lead past a ravine full of vines and insects, with tendrils that curled upwards like claws, and I looked down at a clearing to see the camp. The cats were milling around, having quiet conversations and looking up at the sky. There was a rotten log next to the apprentice's den, and I guessed that that was where they sharpened their claws. An elder's den was made out of a yew bush, and the nursery was guarded by thorn bushes. A queen watched closely while her kits played nearby.

It looked so much like the ThunderClan camp, I suddenly realized. I was surprised. I expected it to look much different, but its appearance was almost entirely the same. There was a training hollow, a leader's den, an apprentice's den, a nursery, an elder's den, and a fresh-kill pile.

The cats stopped talking and looked at us wearily when we appeared. Smokefoot motioned us to stay, and he dashed away to find Blackstar. Oakfur and Toadfoot stayed to keep watch.

A fluffy kit toddled forward on uneven steps towards me. It was nothing but a puffball, and I had the urge to pet him. I leaned back, unsure of what to do. Fortunately, the mother leaped up and herded him away from us.

Bramblestar stiffened, and I saw that Blackstar had appeared. The large white tom padded slowly and sluggishly down a cliff and halted in front of us. I gazed at his large, jet-black paws. The muscles rippled underneath his smooth pelt, and I was sure that he could crush a cat's skull with a single swipe of his claws.

He sighed, and mewed, "What do you want, Bramblestar?" He sounded more tired than angry.

Bramblestar replied in a firm tone, "Your cats have been stealing more prey from us. We have the carcasses to prove it. And, a few days ago, I saw one of your apprentices on my side of the border. It was obvious that he was chasing a squirrel on ThunderClan territory. He was too far away for me to recognize him, but I could still smell ShadowClan scent on him."

The ShadowClan cats snarled and yowled at us. They hissed, "Liar! Liar! We would never do such a thing!"

Blackstar raised his tail for silence. They stopped yelling, but they glared at us with unfriendly eyes. Their claws scraped the mossy floor and they growled low in their throats. I flattened my ears and looked away nervously. They looked like they would tear us up any minute now.

The ShadowClan leader narrowed his eyes. He said coldly, "I assure you, my cats are _not _thieves." He turned and began to pad away. "If that's all you came here for, then I suggest you leave. Oakfur, Toadfoot, Smokefoot, escort them back."

The three warriors dipped their heads and began to urge us back.

Dewpaw unsheathed his claws and yowled, "You coward! Why don't you just admit the deed!"

Immediately, Brackenfur slapped his tail against the apprentice's mouth. The ShadowClan cats' eyes widened as they gazed expectantly at how Blackstar would react. The large white tom's fur was bristling, and the amber eyes were narrowed into slits as he eyed the apprentice with a murderous look. I crouched down, preparing myself in case I needed to run away.

Blackstar glared at us, but said nothing. He merely turned and sauntered away, back into his den, leaving us in the clearing.

Smokefoot murmured, "You'd better leave now. We'll escort you back."

Bramblestar opened his mouth, as if he was going to call Blackstar back, but then thought better of it. He hissed a warning to Dewpaw, and the five of us headed back to our territory.

As soon as we were in the ThunderClan camp, I forced my fur to lie flat. I was safe. Amberpaw, Snowpaw, Lilypaw, and Seedpaw swarmed around us.

Snowpaw mewed in excitement, "What happened? What did Blackstar say?"

Dewpaw scoffed, "Blackstar denied it. He's such a filthy liar."

I thought of the large white tom. Blackstar looked so grand and proud, with his fur groomed smoothly and his amber eyes bright. He didn't seem like the cat who would lie. Sure, he was scary and intimidating, but still…

The following day, the Clan was nervous and restless at the thought of an upcoming war. The medicine cats stocked up on extra herbs, and the warriors reinforced the gorse barriers. Bramblestar stayed in his den all day.

For a few days, the number of prey carcasses decreased, and my hopes went up when I thought that ShadowClan had stopped thieving. However, the next day, new and fresh corpses littered the ground, and they all reeked strongly of ShadowClan. The prey-stealing hadn't stopped. My heart dropped.

At the end of the second week, Bramblestar leaped onto the Highledge and yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Quickly, we swarmed around at the foot of the cliff to hear what he had to say.

_Please, don't let there be a battle, _I desperately repeated over and over again in my head.

The dark brown tom said in a strong and steady voice, "ShadowClan has not stopped stealing our prey. It has been two weeks now, and I can't allow it to go on any longer. Leaf-bare is on its way, and ThunderClan needs all of the prey we have in order to survive."

He stopped, and glanced uncertainly at his deputy. Squirrelflight closed her eyes and looked away.

He straightened up again, and even though his voice was steady, I could detect a strain in it. The crowd leaned closer.

He meowed, "I declare war on ShadowClan."

My heart skipped a beat.

The leader continued on talking, but all I could hear in my ears were _'I declare war on ShadowClan'._

War.

War meant people getting hurt.

War meant people dying.

It meant that I could die.

It meant that Snowpaw could die.

No, I thought. It can't be.

I sank down onto the ground with a small hopeless gasp, and thought of why things turned out this way.


	15. Chapter 14-Spread your Wings

CHAPTER 14-Spread Your Wings

The sky was murky and gray as we slinked across the border with our bellies close to the ground. The heavy scent of rain hung on the air like a damp jacket, and the dew drops glittered on the grass.

Snowpaw tailed along behind me.

As we neared the camp, I could see that it was almost completely deserted. A few warriors were wandering around, and one was guarding the entrance, but most of them were in their dens.

Of course. ShadowClan cats were active mainly at night, so they slept during sun-high.

They looked restful and unworried. They had no idea that ThunderClan was about to launch an all-out attack on them.

Bramblestar crouched in the front and motioned us to be still. He gazed fiercely at the ShadowClan camp and paused.

Snowpaw blinked at me with his clear amber eyes. For a second, I saw anxiety flash in them, but it was quickly replaced with strength and courage. I laid my tail across his shoulders and whispered, "Stay by my side, alright?" I wanted to be there to protect him.

He didn't say anything and just nodded.

I flexed my muscles. I was aware of the silence, of the movement of nervous tails and claws, and of the gentle breathing of my Clanmates. I could almost hear their heartbeats, and how they beat quickly like the wings of a hummingbird.

It set my teeth on edge. Every strand of my fur stood up on end, and my legs turned into jelly the longer I waited.

Bramblestar shifted. He looked back and mouthed the word 'Ready'? The other cats nodded silently, but I couldn't bring myself to do anything.

The dark brown tom suddenly leaped forwards and yowled, "Attack!"

The ShadowClan cats looked up in alarm as a whole surge of ThunderClan cats darted forward.

Quickly, the whole clearing had become one huge mess of screaming, writhing fur and claws. The peaceful silence was broken as warriors darted out from the dens and joined the battle.

There was so much action and confusion. The screams scorched my ears and I wanted to block them out.

A blur of grey fur exploded in front of me and I felt claws rake my muzzle.

A she-cat pinned me down and hissed in my ear. Her claws sunk into my shoulders, but I was too scared and surprised to scream. I tried to remember what my mentor had taught me, and I began to rake my paws on her exposed belly.

She reared back and yowled. Droplets of blood flew everywhere. Squirrelflight suddenly appeared and they became a writhing mess of ginger and grey fur. I backed away quickly.

Snowpaw! Where was Snowpaw? I desperately spun around, but he was nowhere in sight.

The blood-stained grass was slick and slippery, and I ran around, trying to avoid the cats and all the while looking for Snowpaw.

A black and white tom charged towards me with his jaws parted. His eyes were wide with murder. I leaped past him and continued to dart forward.

Suddenly, there was a bloodcurdling wail, and I saw Millie being overpowered by two ShadowClan cats.

Hissing, I bounded towards them and attacked the enemies with all my might.

It was no use. They were much stronger than Millie and I, and I could feel my energy ebb away. They slashed at me with their sharp claws, and I felt my skin rip and blood poured out.

A river of scarlet stained the grass and flowed towards the Lake.

My vision was beginning to blur. The cries of the dying cats echoed in my ears.

A flash of golden brown fur, and Lionblaze and Brightheart were in front of me. They hissed and scratched at the ShadowClan warriors with furious power.

I turned and ran, and stumbled. When would this war be over? Half dragging myself, I scurried to and fro, trying to avoid being noticed. Someone hissed at me, and I turned to find an apprentice wanting to fight. He was half my size, and his green eyes were wide and frightened. His tabby fur bristled with fear.

I tried to stare him down. He shivered and stepped back as I mewed softly, "I don't want to hurt you."

He glanced at me one last time before disappearing in the midst of the battle.

My scratches stung, and I winced. They were raw and bloody, and they hadn't stopped bleeding yet.

My knees felt weak and I just wanted to lie down and wait for the wailing cries of the fighting cats to ebb away.

I heard a scream, and it sounded somewhere nearby. A sharp cliff jutted out of the ground, and I tried to hurry towards it.

Hanging on with his dear life, was Dewpaw. He had somehow slipped off of the cliff, but managed to cling on with his paws. His grip was slipping, though.

Boulders dotted the bottom of the cliff. If he fell, he would be dashed and shattered into a million pieces.

His breath was fast and shallow, and he stared up at me with wide eyes. He screamed, "A-Ashley! Help me! Please!"

I looked around, but no one else seemed to notice his cries. They were all busy fighting each other.

His paws were slipping. He scrabbled frantically on the edge of the cliff as his jaws parted in a silent wail.

I hesitated. Should I save Dewpaw? He wasn't the nicest cat around, and he always liked to tease and torment me. He was nothing but an old sourpuss.

But…

I couldn't just leave him there. This cat was my Clanmate. And I knew that I could forgive him for everything.

I leaned down and grasped his scruff with my jaws. Using all of the strength I had left, I pulled him from the cliff and onto solid ground. I urged my legs not to give way underneath me.

He collapsed, panting in shock, and stared at me.

The blood poured out from my wounds. I groaned, and fell. The world spun before my eyes and made me dizzy. The sky began to darken, and the screams faded from my ears as I saw everything go black. My whole body went numb. It felt like I was floating in midair.

So this was what it felt like to die…

OoOoOOoOooOOoOoOoOoOoOOOOoO

I must have blacked out for a moment, because when I woke up, I realized that I was in the medicine cat's den. My wounds were covered in chewed up herbs, and many other cats were lying next to me. They moaned and writhed in their nests, and a lot of their scratches were deep and bloody. I looked away and covered my ears.

I suddenly remembered Snowpaw. Was he alright? I leaped to my paws, but the pain forced me back down again.

"Ashley! There you are!"

The white tom weaved in and out of the nests towards me. He sniffed my wounds and asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

I nodded with a feeling of relief flooding over me. He was still alive. And I was as well.

"What about you?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I'm okay, just a couple of scratches."

While I sat there looking dazed from the pain of my gashes, he filled me in on what had happened after I had fainted.

The battle had continued on after a while, until Blackstar lost one of his lives. ShadowClan had to retreat, so we were victorious.

"They won't be bothering us for a while now!" he mewed, his eyes glittering.

Then he did something surprising. He leaned down and brushed his nose against my ear. "I was really worried about you," he murmured. I felt his warm breath on my fur, and I closed my eyes to relish the warmth.

A she-cat wailed outside of the den, and I tensed, ready to run away.

Snowpaw looked sad. He whispered mournfully, "While we were gone in battle, some foxes had attacked the camp. None of the warriors were badly hurt, but…"

He paused.

"Well…the foxes broke into the nursery. The queens and warriors, and even the elders, they tried so hard to chase them away. But Graykit ended up dying. And Petalkit's badly injured."

Graykit and Petalkit were Dovewing's and Bumblestripe's kits, along with Streamkit and Grasskit. They had been born only two days ago. I hadn't had the chance to meet them yet.

Dovewing wailed again, and her voice sounded mournful and melancholy, like the cries of a whippoorwill. I winced, and felt tears move at the back of my eyes.

"What's wrong?" Snowpaw asked quickly.

I looked away. "It's…it's just so sad, all of it."

"I know." He leaned down and brushed my tears away. I felt his warmth on my fur once more.

My scratches still stung with a red hot ferocity, and I couldn't get up from the mossy nest. Luckily, the white tom was willing to bring me fresh-kill.

He stayed by my side all night, and kept me warm in the coldest hours of the evening.


	16. Chapter 15-The Truth About the Boneyard

CHAPTER 15-The Truth About the Boneyard

After the battle, there were still new, fresh prey carcasses day after day.

Just when I thought there would be another war, the prey-stealing abruptly stopped all of a sudden.

I thought it was strange, but at the same time, I was relieved.

Dewpaw avoided me after the incident. He wasn't exactly rude, but he had stopped talking to me. His ears were flattened against his head and his tail was low.

One morning, I was sharing fresh-kill with Snowpaw in the clearing when Dewpaw chose a mouse from the fresh-kill pile and plunked down next to me. He didn't say anything, and averted my gaze. His tail swished uneasily behind him.

"Dewpaw…?" I asked. What did he want?

Without looking at me, he mewed quietly, "So…thanks for saving my life there. On that cliff. Well…I know I haven't been particularly nice to you, so…I guess it's alright if you hate me." He scuffled his paws and ducked his head lower.

"I never hated you," I said, surprised.

OoOoOoOOoOoOOOOooooOOOOOo

The lost souls occupied my mind for most of the time. Their urging became more desperate. Sometimes, at night, I could hear their whispers and wails in my ears. The back of neck would prickle, and they would keep me up all night.

My heart would throb, as if I felt guilty that I didn't help them.

They depended on me to save them, somehow.

Finally, one day, I decided I would do something about it.

I mewed to Millie, "I'm going for a walk."

She furrowed her brow. "Alright, then. But be careful of the foxes. They're everywhere now."

I nodded, and trotted out of the camp. The sun shone brightly on a cloudless day as I tried to find my way to the Boneyard.

I didn't want to go there. I really didn't. But I kept hearing the lost soul's voices over and over in my head, and my ears couldn't get a moment's rest.

The color began to drain from the sky as I neared the place. The sun simmered down to a ball of ice. The ground turned as dry as bone, and the black rocks poked out of the ground like claws.

Dead trees lined my path. A cold wind whispered, and I felt my hackles rise.

For some reason, this place set my teeth on edge. I was desperate to get away, but the voices of the spirits moaned clearly.

_The Darklings. They sleep not, _I remembered them say.

I spun around, looking every which way, but I was certain that I was alone.

The Boneyard.

The birds had stopped singing, and the pale sun glared at me. I shivered again with the cold that had somehow seeped from the ground into the marrow in my bones.

"Hello? Where are you?" I whispered. The spirits had stopped murmuring in my ears and all I heard was silence.

"Hello?" I looked around the dead land. Dust rose up and made me sneeze.

Where were the lost souls? How could I help them if they didn't tell me what I had to do?

I decided that I would wait for a few more minutes, and if nothing happened, I would go back.

The temperature here was freezing. I was certain that I would get hypothermia, and I shuddered violently.

A wind blew aggressively. It tore the ragged leaves from the branches and sent dirt whirling up from the ground. I backed away.

Eventually, the wind died down and I could see that it brushed some of the dust away.

I gasped. Underneath the dust, were piles and piles of bones. They must have stretched for miles underground. But why were they here?

I shuddered in disgust and took a step backwards. My paw brushed against the dry skeletons and I flinched. The bone disintegrated into a fine white powder.

The bones must be ancient. How long had they been here? For hundreds and hundreds of years, they had stayed buried deep under the sooty dirt, until now.

My heart lurched violently. I had to leave.

Something pounded in the undergrowth. I whirled around, my breath coming in gasps. Were the Darklings there?

A began to back away from the figure nervously, but then froze when I heard a voice call, "Wait, Ashley! It's only me!"

Snowpaw. What was he doing here?

The white apprentice bounded forward to stand in front of me. He hissed quietly, "I saw you leave camp, and I was worried that the foxes would find you, so I followed. What are you doing here?" His ears were laid back tightly against his head. His fur was fluffed out until he looked twice his size, and I realized that he was truly scared. About what?

"I…I was…" My voice trailed off. He'd only laugh at me if I told him that the spirits of lost cats were calling me.

He turned around and beckoned me with his tail. "Come on. We need to get out of here," he growled.

But I wasn't sure I should leave. Not yet. And what was so bad about the Boneyard anyway? Sure, it was creepy, but why was he so nervous about it?

I sensed something moving somewhere nearby, and something told me that it wasn't a cat. In my mind, I saw something large, black, and bulky, with sharp glinting eyes, needle-like teeth, and a stone for a heart. It maneuvered quickly among the rocks like a liquid patch of night.

It was coming closer, and for some reason, my heart was seized in a panic. I quickly bolted away with Snowpaw hard on my heels.

We sprinted past the rocks, past the endless dust with the ancient bones buried beneath it, and past the inky black thing.

The creature hurried towards us, and even though I could only see flashes of it winding between the trees, I knew that it was following us. It was something dark and foreboding. But the feeling was slight and not really there, like the sensation of the rains sloshing in the clouds but not really raining, or the feeling of thunder crackling and not actually striking the ground.

It sent my nerves in a frenzy. Snowpaw hurried behind me, his breath coming in large gasps.

I was getting tired. My paws pounded heavily against the earth as I began to slow down. Even though we were far away from the Boneyard by now, I could still sense the Darkling out there somewhere, keeping pace with us.

My paws were feeling heavy. I was running out of breath.

Snowpaw nudged me and tried to hurry me on. He was much too scared to say anything.

Just when I thought the creature of night would take us, the trees suddenly sighed. The branches rustled, and it sounded like millions of voices whispering. Dry rain fell from the bark.

And, then, all of a sudden, the Darkling was gone. It was there for one second, and suddenly it was not.

Snowpaw and I raced back into the camp as fast we could run.

Cinderheart's eyes widened when she saw us, with our fur ruffled and panting.

"Goodness. What happened?" she asked.

Snowpaw lied, "Uh…nothing really. Something spooked us in the woods, but now that I think of it, it could have just been an owl."

After I had regained my strength, I quickly urged him behind the warriors' den, where we could talk without anyone noticing.

I asked, "What's so bad about the Boneyard? And what are Darklings?"

He looked away and shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. It's just some folktale." He began to walk away, but I stepped in front of him and blocked his path.

I meowed, "Come on, Snowpaw. I know you know about it. Please tell me. I need to know."

He stared at me with his cold amber eyes. He looked angry for some reason.

I was surprised when he roughly pushed me aside and began to saunter away.

"First, _you _explain to me why you were there in the first place!" he yelled. "You could've gotten killed."

I blinked, startled. Why was he so angry? Was the Boneyard really such a dangerous place?

Soft pawsteps came up behind me, and I turned around to see Dewpaw. He lowered his gaze and muttered, "I'll…I'll tell you everything. It's the least I can do in return for you saving my life."

My eyes widened in amazement. This was the part of Dewpaw that I had never seen before. But what if it was all just a trap?

I gazed at him closely. His ears were down and his tail hung limply behind him. He looked somehow smaller than before. No, he was telling the truth.

He said briskly, "I can't tell you here. There's too many people listening. Follow me."

He led me to the training hollow. It was empty at the moment, so we were the only cats there.

I looked around to make sure that no cat was eavesdropping, and then turned to face me. He took a deep breath, and mewed, "The Boneyard is a place that is shunned by all the Clans. All cats know about it, but few are willing to talk. No living thing dares to tread across its cursed earth, and even StarClan stays away from it. It is a place of misery and despair, where nightmarish creatures lurk and where the echoes of the fallen cease to ebb away. If you brush away the dirt and dust, you'll find ancient bone that stretches out for miles underneath the ground. They're cat's bones. No one knows why they're there.

"The Darlings lurk in the Boneyard. They are strange creatures, made out of spite and misery, and tears and gore. They prey and feast on the souls of the living who are unlucky enough to venture too far into the Boneyard. They use their long, spindly claws to reap them, and their teeth snap and crackle like the sound of splintering bone. Sometimes, if you're foolish enough to stay and lean closely towards them, you can hear them murmuring in soft and hoarse voices. They never sleep.

"There's something about the forest that keeps them away and locks them tight into the Boneyard. However, I've noticed that they've gotten more restless and are venturing further and further into the woods."

He blinked. "That's why you shouldn't go there ever again. It's really risky."

I asked, "How do you know about all this?"

He shrugged. "All of the Clan cats know. But they hardly ever dare to talk about it. I heard about it once from my parents, a long time ago. The elders talk about sometimes too. But only very rarely."

I wondered if I should trust him or not.

Dewpaw tipped his head to one side and squinted at me. "You were in the Boneyard, weren't you?" he asked. "How come the Darklings were too slow to take you? Usually there aren't many survivors."

He suddenly looked embarrassed, and then turned and sprinted away. I watched him go.

So Snowpaw had been worried about me. My heart warmed at the thought.

The white tom was chatting with Seedpaw when I finally found him.

His ears twitched, but other than that, he ignored me completely. Seedpaw gave me a quizzical look.

The she-cat heaved herself to her paws and mewed brightly, "Well, see you later Snowpaw."

"Bye," mewed the tom.

I stood a little distance away, watching him, hoping silently in my mind that he would forgive me and start talking to me again. I felt too shy to approach him directly.

My hopes fell when he padded away without even glancing at me. So he was still mad.

I tried to comfort myself. He just needed some time to cool down, I insisted. He'll talk to me tomorrow.


	17. Chapter 16-First Flight

CHAPTER 16-First Flight

My paws itched with worry and anticipation, and butterflies leaped and dazzled in my stomach. My eyes were alert and wide open.

The moment had finally come. Today was the day where I would be tested to see if I was fit to be a warrior. Our mentors hurried the apprentices to the middle of the forest, and we were awaiting their instructions. Dewpaw stood proud and tall, trying not to look anxious; Lilypaw and Seedpaw were whispering something at each other; Amberpaw was busy dabbing her paw at a beetle, oblivious to what was going on; and Snowpaw was quivering with excitement. My gaze saddened when I looked at Snowpaw. He still hadn't talked to me since. Were we still friends?

I snapped to attention when Lionblaze meowed, "Alright then. Today, you will be tested to see if you're ready to be a warrior. You must try to collect as much prey as possible. Remember, your mentors will be watching you, out of sight. Don't talk to anyone once the test starts, and make sure not to cross the borders. Meet back here on sunhigh with all of your prey."

While he was talking, I saw Dewpaw shift closer to me. Without thinking, I meowed, "Good luck." He nodded. He said, "Good luck to you too." He paused, and appeared to be thinking. Then he whispered, "And try your hardest. You could catch that mouse if you tried." I was surprised that he was talking to me, but I forced myself to nod.

Lionblaze stood up and meowed loudly, "Let the test begin!"

My heart began to pound in my chest as I watched the other apprentices quickly dash away. They disappeared into the forest.

Where should I hunt? I looked around wildly, and finally decided to go to the Sky Oak. The squirrels there were exceptionally large.

I bounded away, my paws thudding heavily on the ground. Deep in the woods, I heard something blundering among the bracken. It must be Millie, my mentor. She was watching my progress.

Panting, I skidded to a halt in front of the massive oak, and crouched down low until the grass tickled my belly. My ears were pricked and alert. I forced myself to stop breathing so heavily in case the prey could hear me.

Over there! I could scent a vole. I saw the furry body rummaging among the roots of the Sky Oak.

I shifted closer…closer…

My tail was stiff and low, and I made certain to balance my weight on all four paws. I crept closer still.

And then I pounced. The fallen leaves flew up from under me and the vole began to dart away. I chased after it and finished it off with a swipe from my paw. It was a messy kill. But I still managed to catch it. I gripped the small body in my jaws and buried it to collect later.

I continued on hunting.

OoOoOoooOOoOoOoOoOoO

There was a squirrel nearby, but I had missed it. A finch and a thrush had also escaped from my claws, but I managed to capture two mice and a shrew.

I blushed in embarrassment at the meager pile. Surely, the other apprentices would have done better.

Would I even be a warrior? I tried to imagine myself as one, but it was impossible. I could never be strong and loyal, brave and true like a real warrior was.

My heart fell.

It was nearly sunhigh, so I trotted back to the meeting place with my head held low.

Lionblaze was waiting for me there. I dumped the prey at his feet, and he narrowed his eyes. "Is this all?" he asked. I nodded shamefully. He opened his mouth and was going to say something, when suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream filled the air. Lionblaze's eyes grew wide and he dashed into the forest. I followed him. Was someone hurt?

Amberpaw and Lilypaw were crouching on the ground, their eyes huge and their breaths coming in gasps. They were bleeding from several gashes. My fur began to fluff up with fear.

The other mentors sprinted toward us, along with the other apprentices. They must have heard their screams. Millie demanded, "What happened?"

Amberpaw pointed at something deep in the woods, but she wouldn't talk. Brackenfur urged, "Come on. You have to tell us. What happened?"

I gazed around wildly. Something had hurt the apprentices. What if the beast was still there, watching us and preparing to pounce again?

Lilypaw gulped, and stammered, "Th-there were s-some foxes."

My ears pricked up with alarm. The back of my neck prickled when I remembered my encounter, and I shivered in fear.

The she-cat continued, "Th-they a-attacked us, and we tried to f-fight them off. I was sure that we were going to die, and then Amberpaw screamed. They ran away…but….but…"

Amberpaw finished, "They took Snowpaw! We have to save him!"

What? My legs grew weak. It couldn't be!

Toadstep, Dewpaw's mentor, snarled, "Those fleabags! Come on, we have to follow them."

Dewpaw unsheathed his claws and began to bound away, but Lionblaze pinned him down before he could leave. Dewpaw struggled against the tom's grip and yowled, "Let me go! I have to save my brother!"

Lionblaze hissed, "We have to think this through clearly. We have to alert the whole Clan and bring some more warriors with us."

I could barely hear the words. In my mind, I imagined Snowpaw, his white pelt stained in red, being dragged in the jaws of some filthy fox.

Snowpaw. He was the first cat who had ever been nice to me when I first joined ThunderClan. He was the cat who showed me the secret meadow. He trusted me to keep secrets. He had been worried about me when I had ventured into the Boneyard.

Snowpaw was the cat who had said that I was his friend.

My claws dug deep into the earth. I couldn't let him die at the jaws of a heartless fox!

Brackenfur's eyes widened in alarm. "Ashley…?" he murmured.

Seedpaw meowed, "I'll tell the Clan about the foxes and bring some warriors. You guys wait here." We watched as the small she-cat bounded away.

Brackenfur followed her. He gently urged Amberpaw and Lilypaw to follow him to the medicine cat's den.

No! It would take too long! Snowpaw could be dead by the time they came back!

I hissed, "We can't wait. We have to go _now!" _Lionblaze blinked kindly at me. He mewed, "I know how you feel, but we have to wait for more warriors. That way, we'll have a greater chance of killing the foxes."

Dewpaw suddenly stood up and growled, "No, Lionblaze. Ashley's right. We have to go."

I was startled. The apprentice had been willing to contradict a senior warrior! The golden brown tom blinked in surprise.

Without waiting for a response, Dewpaw turned and sprinted off into the woods, in the direction that the foxes had gone.

Instinctively, I hurried after him.

Behind us, I heard Lionblaze yowl our names, but we didn't slow down.

The smell of fox wafted strongly towards us, along with the slight hint of blood. My hackles bristled, and I prayed that Snowpaw would be alright.

Dewpaw dashed next to me, and he looked as determined as I felt.

And then, something clicked into my mind. The anger that I felt was replaced with fear. We were only two apprentices! How could we beat a whole pack of snarling foxes?

But it was too late to turn back now.

Dewpaw seemed to sense my worry, for he mewed, "It's going to be alright."

Dewpaw had always been rude and unkind to me, but now... But I shrugged the thought away, and continued on running. Right now, we had to save Snowpaw.

**Yeee, another chapter.**

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**Thanks so much!**


	18. Chapter 17-Crash Landing

CHAPTER 17-Crash Landing

The odor of foxes grew stronger as we neared the source. We finally reached our destination when we saw two foxes standing guard in front of a burrow in the ground. Dewpaw and I quickly ducked underneath the bushes before they could spot us.

"What do we do now?" I whispered. The tom flexed his claws on the earth as he stared at the foxes with an undisguised hatred. He hissed, "We kill them, that's what."

I stared at him in disbelief. "What? But we're only apprentices!" An idea entered my head. "How about one of us distract them while the other one sneaks into the burrow?"

Dewpaw thought about it, and then grudgingly agreed. He whispered, "Alright. I'll lead them away, and you have to dive into the hole as fast as possible. Don't let them see you."

He began to stand up, and I whispered, "And you. Be careful, okay?" He looked surprised, but then shook his fur and grinned. "Of course. Foxes can't hurt me," he replied.

He raised his head and yowled loudly. The foxes immediately looked up in surprise, and when they saw him, they quickly gave chase.

Dewpaw whirled around and sprinted away with the canines biting at his heels.

I hesitated, suddenly fearful. What would I find inside the burrow? The dead body of Snowpaw? Or a whole pack of foxes?

But I quickly shook the thought away and cautiously padded over to the opening. It was too dark too see anything when I peered in, but the overwhelming stench of fox was nauseating. I heard a scrabbling of paws inside, and the harsh barks and growls of their strange language. My claws dug into the ground as I tried to steady myself when I flashbacked to my first encounter with them.

I took a deep breath, and entered the burrow.

Darkness swallowed me whole, and I blinked quickly, willing my eyes to adjust. The ground beneath me was layered with dried and aged moss that crumbled in my grasp, and the warm and dusty smell of earth was all around me.

Some sunlight filtered through the opening, and I could see that I was in a room. A few tunnels led away deeper into the ground. I heard someone chittering and snarling in one of them and decided to follow it.

As I tread silently, I realized that this burrow wasn't just one den: it was a whole network of tunnels that crisscrossed and intersected deep underneath the dirt. How were the foxes able to do all this? I didn't know that they were _that _experienced in digging.

Something scratched and chattered deeper in the tunnel where I was heading. It was too dark to see anything, and my fur fluffed out in fear. I kept my claws unsheathed in case I needed them.

The tunnel ended and I stepped into a large room. What was in the room, I couldn't see. Keeping close to the wall, I crouched down and tried to maneuver around silently.

Something scuffled, and I froze. I heard a harsh bark nearby, and some yelps and snarls. There were at least four foxes in the room with me. I quietly slipped into another tunnel and left.

There was another passageway poking out of that one, and I padded into it. There were so many walkways! How was it possible _not _to get lost?

I entered another room. It was still pitch-black, and I fumbled around.

Something sneezed, and I stiffened. Someone was in the room with me. Its scent wasn't of fox; it smelled more like the earth, like dust and leaves and worms. Its movements were slow and ponderous, as if it were a bear that had just woken up from hibernation. It was very ancient and felt deep-rooted to the ground. It radiated a harsh fierceness that overpowered me, and whatever it was, it growled low in its throat. Did it know that I was there?

I quickly edged into another tunnel.

Somewhere deep underground, I heard a cat yowl in fear and distress. Snowpaw! My pace quickened. I kept bumping into rocks and walls in the darkness but still, I continued on.

The thing in the blackness seemed to be following me, for I could hear its blunt claws clinking on the pebbles. However, after a while, it faded.

A tiny crack in the ceiling of the room let in a little sliver of light. From my hiding place, I could see a few foxes snarling and fighting over a bone. Farther along in the shadows of a corner, something shifted and stirred. It was a small form, with a long, fluffy tail and a snowy white pelt.

It was Snowpaw. There was a large gash on his back that was crusted with blood, and one of his ears was chewed off. He seemed too tired to move, and two foxes guarded him.

My breath caught in my throat. How could I ever hope of defeating the canines?

It wouldn't be long before they caught a whiff of my scent, so I desperately tried to think of what to do.

Suddenly, a fox charged into the den, his muzzle red and dripping with scarlet. My hackles began to rise, but I was too scared to move. They didn't see me, for I was hidden in the shadows.

The fox growled and barked in its language, and immediately, the other ones in the den leaped to their paws. They dashed out of the room.

What was that about? And then it dawned on me. The blood on the fox's muzzle wasn't just any blood: it was Dewpaw's. In my mind, I saw the dark grey tom lying on the grass with his fur ripped off and his guts spilling out. My eyes widened in horror.

Oh no.

Was all of this _my_ fault?

I shouldn't have let him run off with the foxes nipping at his heels. I should have suggested a better plan. _I _should have been the one who lured the canines away. Dewpaw should have gone down the burrow to look for Snowpaw. That way, he wouldn't be ripped to shreds.

I couldn't believe I had let this happen.

There was one fox left in the den; breathing in the familiar scent, I realized that it was Scarlet. Fortunately, she was fast asleep.

Snowpaw was lying nearby, and his eyes were closed. For a moment, I feared that he was dead, until I noticed the gentle rising and falling of his side as he breathed. His wounds glistened in the faint light.

Maybe I could wake him up and sneak him out without any one noticing.

I was about to pad forward, when I heard a small sneak behind me. It was high-pitched and sharp, and I thought it was a mouse. But, looking over my shoulder, I saw that there was a small puff of ginger-brown fur staring up at me. It was a fox kit, and she gazed up at me with warm, mahogany brown eyes.

She was less than half my size, and I felt that she wouldn't be much of a threat. I turned to where Snowpaw lay and nudged him gently with my paw.

"Snowpaw, wake up," I whispered urgently. The tom stirred, and opened one eye. He flattened his ears, but when he realized that it was just me, he blinked in surprise.

I asked, "Can you walk?" He nodded, and slowly heaved himself to a sitting position on trembling legs. The gash on his side reopened and blood began to trickle down in drops. I winced.

I let him lean on me for support, and slowly, we made our way to the exit of the room. The fox kit stood in our way, but she didn't seem threatening. She seemed to look curious, for she tipped her head to one side and regarded us quietly, as if wondering whether or not she should stop us.

Snowpaw breathed softly next to me. He was too feeble to stand on his own, and he leaned heavily on my shoulder. Droplets of red scattered around the floor.

I hesitantly placed one step forward, uncertain on whether or not I should just shove the fox kit aside or try to scare it away.

However, before I could do anything, Scarlet stirred in her sleep. I held my breath as I watched her as she yawned, stretched, and slowly blinked open her sleepy eyes.

Through her hazy mind still partly fogged with sleep, she spotted the intruders in the room. The fox immediately leaped to her paws and snarled.

Snowpaw's eyes widened, and he looked at me desperately.

I hastily nudged his shoulder with my head and sent him toppling over to the tunnel. "Go!" I nearly screamed.

I felt sharp teeth pierce my shoulder as Scarlet leaped towards me. I desperately tossed and turned, trying to throw her off, but she held on with an iron grip. Like a bullfighter and a crazy bull, we rocked and swayed wildly. Her teeth sank deeper into my skin and I let out a yowl.

I tried to swipe at her with my claws, but since she was clinging onto my back, I couldn't see her. She easily dodged my blows.

Her rotted breath wafted around my face as she leaned down and prepared to bite into my throat.

Without thinking, I rolled onto my back on the ground, suffocating and crushing her with my fur.

She scrabbled underneath me, and after a while, she finally went limp. Convinced that she was dead, I swiftly got to my paws and began to hurry down the tunnel.

However, I heard a bark, and when I whirled around, I was met with an angry flash of shining red fur and amber eyes filled with hate.

Scarlet lunged at me furiously and bit into my ear. I screamed as I was temporarily blinded by my blood spurting down my face.

As the fox leaned over for the killing blow, I realized that my death had finally come. I just never knew it would end like this; me, a former Twoleg, being killed by a fox.

"Ashley!" a familiar voice cried, and I spun around to see Bramblestar charging towards me with a hoard of warriors by his side. I felt a rush of relief, until another small group of foxes came at us from another tunnel. I dodged just in time as Scarlet ran at me with her jaws open wide.

And then the whole room was filled with the sound of screams, yowls, and snarls. Ginger fur mingled with tabby, as the ground was seeped in blood.

Two foxes cornered me and growled low in their throats. I gulped and scrabbled backwards.

Suddenly, a large, male fox shouldered between them and glared at me. His eyes were narrowed into slits. I shivered in terror and felt my heart drop. If he decided to lunge at me, I wouldn't be able to hold him off. He snarled at the two foxes, "What are you doing? You're not supposed to kill her, just injure her enough so she won't be able to walk." Scarlet ducked her head submissively and growled, "Sorry, Fang. I guess I just got furious and forgot."

Another fox said, "Are you sure this cat is the one?"

Huh? What were they talking about?

The big male, Fang, towered above me, and I heard a whimper escape from my lips. He extended a paw, but then Cloudtail charged into him and sent him toppling to the ground. The cat spat and sank his teeth mercilessly into his shoulder. Fang easily flung him off, and I closed my eyes as Cloudtail flew into the wall with a sickening thud.

There were too many foxes; they easily overpowered the warriors. I was too scared to do anything but stay rooted to the ground. What could I do?

Fang barked something to his companions in the fox language, and then he leaped onto a boulder and yelled, "Freeze!"

There was something commanding and superior in his voice that demanded immediate attention, and instantly, everyone stopped fighting. The cats glared up at him with their eyes glittering malice.

The large fox said to the warriors, "If you let us keep the black cat, then I will spare your lives." He nodded at me.

I felt my fur bristle with terror. What did he want from _me?_

The cats blinked at each other, looking as confused as I felt.

I was certain that they would agree to the fox's demand and leave. After all, I was the worst fighter and hunter in the entire Clan. They didn't need me.

But, to my surprise, Brightheart shouldered her way forward and hissed, "Never! Ashley's our Clanmate!"

A few cats exchanged surprised glances at her.

Bramblestar padded over to Fang and hesitated. Everyone gazed at him expectantly. I stared at him with a little hope.

He growled, "The Clans don't trust foxes. You would never keep true to your word." Fang glared at him darkly.

And then, the great and mighty Bramblestar did a surprising thing. He turned and yowled to the warriors, "Run! We don't have enough cats to beat all of these foxes! Run out of the tunnels!"

The cats stood frozen for a split second, as if they couldn't believe what their leader was saying. And then, they turned and fled. The whole room was filled with moving brown and grey pelts as they struggled to the exit. The fear scent was overpowering.

The foxes snarled and lunged towards them. Over the chaos of the noise, Fang barked loudly, "Seize the black cat! Don't let her leave!"

I quickly squeezed past the cats, over to the tunnel, when one of the foxes knocked me onto the ground. I leaped to my paws, but a swarm of the beasts were running towards me. They dragged me back with their teeth, and I screamed. I kicked them with all my might, and their grip loosened enough for me to escape.

As I exited the tunnels, I looked back, and saw Fang running towards me. His amber eyes were narrowed, and his scarlet fur was bristling and sharp. His jaws were open, and I could see all of his yellow teeth. He truly looked terrifying. I urged myself to run faster as I followed the herd of Clanmates. An opening of light loomed up in front of me like a flashlight, and miraculously, I was outside. The sun had never seemed so inviting. It warmed my fur. Spots danced in my vision as my eyes tried to adjust to the sudden brightness. The whole pack of foxes came spewing out of the burrow like fire, and I sprinted away.

My Clanmates and I dashed past the forest, over the trees and through the grass, until we finally reached the camp. I forced my furiously beating heart to slow down. I was safe at last.

I had a gash on my neck, and countless bite marks on my back and legs. They stung with a red-hot ferocity.

A lot of cats were a lot worse. Most of them had missing ears, shredded tails, and deep wounds weeping with red tears. They slowly trudged over to the medicine cat's den, as if all the life had already left them.

I couldn't bear to watch.

I remembered Snowpaw and Dewpaw. Where were they now? Panic filled me when I wondered if we had left them back at the burrow.

Brightheart seemed to sense my worry, for she pointed at the medicine cat's den with her tail. "They're in there," she said quietly, and her eyes were weary.

Quickly, I bounded over and shoved myself through the opening. The whole den was filled with wounded cats, and the stench of blood in the air was nauseating.

I scanned the group, and was relieved when I saw Snowpaw and Dewpaw lying on the moss. However, the feeling quickly evaporated. They looked as if they had been run over by cars; their ears were torn and shredded, and some of their fur had been torn off by the foxes. They had countless scrapes crisscrossing their pelts, and their fur was matted with blood and raw gashes. Their eyes were closed, and they were sleeping.

Jayfeather looked up at me. His eyes narrowed and he growled softly, "That was really stupid of you and Dewpaw. You threw yourselves into the fox's burrow without waiting for the warriors to arrive with you." I stared at him in shock, not knowing what to say.

He flicked his tail and hurried off to tend to the wounded.

I slowly made my way over to the apprentices and crouched down next to them. Their breathing was soft and slow. Their parents, Cloudtail and Brightheart, were seated next to them. Amberpaw and Whitewing, their sisters, were there as well, and they glared at me. Why? Did they think all of this was really my fault?

I felt hopeless as I looked at them. Sure, I _did _run off with Dewpaw to try and fight the foxes ourselves. But it was the foxes' fault that the cats were wounded! They were the ones who took Snowpaw!

My gaze saddened as I stared at them. They didn't look as if they could live; their wounds were red and weeping, and their bodies were dusty and battered.

I didn't want Snowpaw to be like this. And would it be my fault if Dewpaw died? I was the one who suggested that he would lure the foxes away while I went down the tunnels. The beasts had easily managed to overpower him.

I ducked my head shamefully. Tears welled up in my eyes. Oh, don't be such a crybaby, I scolded myself. I angrily brushed the tears away.

Bramblestar padded slowly and wearily into the den, and he paused next to me. I gazed at him worriedly. His gaze saddened as he swept over the apprentices lying on the red moss. His amber eyes hardened when he saw me.

He stood up straighter and meowed loudly, speaking to all of the cats in the den, "The apprentices have had their warrior assessments today. It is now time to announce them as warriors."

The warrior assessment. Of course. I had forgotten all about it.

I didn't feel much excitement though, as I thought about everything that had happened.

The dark brown tom continued, "I, Bramblestar of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend the Clan even by the cost your life?"

For a moment, there was silence, and then softly, some of the apprentices mewed quietly, "I do." They seemed much too tired to react to what they were hearing.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Seedpaw, you will now be known as Seedpelt. Lilypaw, you are now Lilyheart. Amberpaw, you will now be Amberlight. And Dewpaw…" He hesitated for a moment, as if wondering whether or not he should give the tom his new name. He gazed at the still sleeping form of the apprentice, and then said, "I don't really want to accept you as a warrior, Dewpaw. You have made rash decisions and nearly got yourself killed. A real warrior should have thought over his choices carefully and listen to his seniors. But, since it is unlikely for you to survive because of the severity of your wounds, I will give you your warrior name. Dewpaw, you will now be known as Dewstep. And Snowpaw is now Snowstorm."

Did that mean that Dewstep and Snowstorm had a very slim chance of healing? Did that mean that they were going to die?

Something clicked in my brain, and I realized that Bramblestar had forgotten to name someone. Me.

I hesitantly mewed in a small voice, "Um, Bramblestar…?"

Unexpectantly, the dark brown tom whirled around and snarled at me. I leaped backwards with my fur on end.

He hissed, "Do you actually think that you deserve to be a warrior? The whole Clan is injured because of you! Mousewhisker, Icecloud, Spiderleg, and Ivypool are _dead_ because of you!"

My mind reeled in surprise and horror.

The tom spat, "It was obvious that the foxes wanted to capture you for some reason. They took Snowpaw to bait you into coming into their burrow. Dewpaw tried to help and nearly got killed. The whole Clan came to fight the foxes off. I should have let them take you! If you hadn't come to ThunderClan, none of this would have happened! If the foxes hadn't known about you, they wouldn't have caused all this!"

I stared at him with wide eyes.

Squirrelflight came over and gently laid her tail across his shoulders. She murmured, "Calm down, Bramblestar. You're just overreacting. It's not Ashley's fault."

For a moment, the tom glared at her, and I was afraid that he would rip her to shreds. Then he relaxed slightly, and hung his head. "You're right. It really isn't Ashley's fault. It was all because of the stupid foxes."

He looked at me wearily, and all of his strength seemed to have left him. He whispered, "But I still can't make you a warrior, Ashley. Millie told me of your report, and you aren't doing well in your hunting and fighting skills. You'll just have to train as an apprentice for a little while longer."

Without saying another word, he turned and trudged out of the medicine cat's den.

Most of the cats were looking at me with pity and sorrow. A few of them threw angry and spiteful glances at me, as if they were convinced that I was the one to blame for all this.

But I didn't really care. I didn't care about not passing my warrior's assessment, either. I just felt numb.

I shuffled closer to where Snowstorm and Dewstep were sleeping. Their kin shifted over to let me sit down, and they looked tired and sad now, instead of furious and nasty.

I rested my head on Snowstorm's crusted fur and closed my eyes. What if this _had _been my fault? After all, the foxes had stolen Snowpaw just so they could lure me into their clutches. The whole Clan got hurt because of it. If I hadn't come to ThunderClan in the first place, none of this would have happened.

But why did the foxes want me? Nothing made sense. Nothing at all.

And come to think of it, it wasn't really surprising that I wasn't made into a warrior. I had seen it coming all along.

A warrior was expected to be resilient and faithful, courageous and true, and I was none of that. I was only the insignificant and puny Ashley, weak and humble, and a coward and a crybaby. And now my friends were going to die.

I buried my face in Snowstorm's soft white fur and silently felt the tears move down my cheeks.


	19. Chapter 18-The Liquid Dream

CHAPTER 18-The Liquid Dream

Dewstep's will seemed to be strong and unbroken, for after a week, he had made a full recovery. He still limped slightly in his hind leg, though.

Snowstorm took longer to heal, and even when he did, he still bore the many scars on his pelt.

I felt comforted, knowing that they were going to be alright.

After a few weeks, Bramblestar had sent a few warriors over to the fox burrow to spy on them, but we found out that the burrow was deserted. The foxes must have left many days ago, for their scent was mingled and stale.

The warriors also smelled something else that wasn't of fox, but it was so faint and vague that they couldn't detect what it was. I was just glad that the canines had finally gone.

Since I was still an apprentice, I trained with Millie every day. It got frustrating when I couldn't get the moves right, or when the prey escaped from my paws. Snowstorm stood with me every step of the way. Dewstep sat further away in silence, but I could still sense the strong waves of encouragement that he gave off, and that was enough for me.

The murmurings of the lost spirits had ceased, for some reason. I no longer heard them whispering in my ears at night. Perhaps it was because they began to doubt whether or not I was the cat from their prophecy. After all, I was just a simple cat, just Ashley, and I wasn't nearly as strong as Lionblaze, as smart as Briarlight, or as courageous and loyal as Bramblestar. In a way, I felt relieved. Ever since the spirits had stopped calling me, a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I no longer had to fulfill their prophecy; let some other cat do the job, someone who was a warrior and was far better than me.

But I can't help but be a little bit upset. Deep inside myself, I _knew _that I wanted to be a warrior. I didn't want to be an apprentice anymore. But I was only Ashley, just Ashley, a simple and humble person who was shy and quiet and tended to cry very easily. There was no hope of me ever being a warrior that was worthy of ThunderClan.

OoOoOooooOOOoOOoooOOoOoOOOOOOOoo

Something had woken me at midnight. I blinked the heavy sleep from my eyes and looked around the den. Snowstorm and Dewstep had moved to the warriors den, so I was alone in here except for Petalpaw, Streampaw, and Grasspaw, who had just recently been made apprentices. They were fast asleep.

But something had woken me. It was only a slight sound, a faint touch, a transparent brush of a soft wind, and I had instantly awakened. What was it?

The wind moaned gently. "Ashley…" it said. Or had I just imagined it?

I blinked in disbelief when the surroundings around me began to darken, and pretty soon, I was floating in a black, endless void. I looked around desperately. Was I dreaming?

"Ashley…" a voice said. The voice was cracked and faded, and sounded like static on a television. A transparent cat form slowly appeared in front of me. It looked distorted and slanted, as if I was peering at it through a dirty and foggy mirror in the bathroom after a shower.

It was a cat with a fire-colored pelt that had long sizzled down to a faintly pulsing pelt coated with stardust, and my eyes widened when I realized that it was Firestar.

The former Clan leader looked panicked and melancholy, for his ears were laid flat against his head and his fur was ruffled. He mewed, "StarClan's territory is collapsing." The voice was cracked and contorted until it was hardly a voice at all. I blinked in confusion.

The tom's edges were slightly blurry, and the dark void around me seemed to be slowly expanding. He said, "I don't have enough time right now to tell you how or why, but you need to journey to the mountains." What was he saying?

Firestar continued, "The Moonpool has been blotted out from us, so it's hard for StarClan to communicate with you. That's why I look so blurry and distorted."

His voice hardened. "But you must go to the mountains, for it is higher up in the sky, and therefore closer to the stars, and thus closer to StarClan. It will be easier for us to talk to you there. Find the Tribe of Rushing Water. We have told Stoneteller about you, and he will be expecting you to arrive. Go to the mountains. And don't tell your Clanmates, for they will think you are lying and prevent you from leaving. The prophecy will then be revealed to you once you arrive. You must go!" His voice faded into a wail, and something black and shadowy leaped across the void. He disappeared before I could see what it was.

My fur prickled with uncertainty. A high, needling voice whispered, "Don't leave without water, for it will help guide you."

The black void shifted and bent like liquid paper, and then, suddenly, I was back in the apprentice's den. I shook my head furiously, as if trying to empty my ears of the words.

Was it all just a meaningless dream? No, of course not. I was certain it was true.

He wanted me to go to the Tribe of Rushing Water, to the mountains, where it was "closer to the stars, and thus closer to StarClan" so he had a better and clearer way of talking to me. He wanted to tell me a prophecy. But why had he chosen me? I was Ashley, just Ashley, a weak and puny apprentice. What did he want from _me?_

_ Don't leave without water, for it will help guide you._

What did that mean? Was I supposed to carry a moss soaked with water and bring it with me? But I couldn't carry it that far, and it would dry out before I arrived. Water must have some other meaning. But what?

The dream was real. I _knew _it was. I remembered how desperate and horrified Firestar had looked right before he faded, and he clearly needed me.

I wanted to tell my Clanmates about it, but they wouldn't believe me. I wanted to tell Snowstorm, but I knew he was terrible at keeping secrets. And I didn't trust Dewstep enough to tell him. I didn't know what to do.

OoOOoOOoOoOOoooOoooOoOoOoOoo

A phantom wind brushed against my legs as I gazed at the distant horizon. A tall, hazy shape was just visible far off in the distance, and its purple majesty stood soaring and tall just like any mountain would.

Firestar was insane. Of all the people, why did he have to choose _me? _I couldn't possibly make it that far.

I heard soft pawsteps behind me, and turned around to find Snowstorm. He smiled softly and closed his eyes to the feel of the wind brushing his fur.

"I noticed you've been acting different lately, "he said suddenly.

I shrugged.

He continued, "You've grown more quiet. Is there something on your mind?"

I shook my head, but couldn't tear my gaze away from the purple haze in the horizon line. I had an impulse to tell him everything, but instead, I said, "What do you think about humans?"

He tipped his head to one side. "Humans?"

"Er…Twolegs."

The tom mewed, "Well, I haven't actually seen one in real life. But I've heard stories about them from the elders." His eyes hardened. "I heard about how they tore up the Clan's old home in the forest."

"I think they're pointless creatures, really," he continued. "There's no sense in anything they do, as if they've got fluff for brains. They imprison cats and keep them as kittypets, destroy forests, and get in the way of things."

"Oh," I murmured. I was a little hurt. Did that mean that he would hate me if he found out that I was actually human?

I mewed softly, "W-well, they're not all that bad. Some of them treat their kittypets nicely, and they even try to help animals and preserve woodlands."

I continued to gaze at the mountains, wondering what they would look like up close.

Snowstorm noticed me and asked, "You do that a lot, lately. Staring at the mountains."

He smiled and mewed, "I'd like to go there someday. I've heard Bramblestar and Squirrelflight talk about it. I can almost imagine the feel of the rough stone under my paws, and the smell of the ancient rock and weather. I would like to climb to the tallest peak and look down at all of the lands."

He sighed.

I twitched my ear and looked at him. I had already made up my mind to journey to the mountains in a few days. He looked so eager to go there himself. I would feel guilty if I didn't bring him along.

I took a deep breath, and meowed, "Um, well…some days ago, Firestar came to me in a dream. He told me that the Moonpool was "blotched", so he couldn't communicate with me efficiently enough. He told me to go to the mountains, where it was closer to the stars, so he could tell me something."

Snowstorm blinked. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

He stared at me for a moment, and then said, "How come the Moonpool was blotched?"

I didn't know whether or not he was taking me seriously.

I mewed, "He said that he didn't have enough time to tell me. But he told me to go the mountains. I'm certain that the dream was true."

But a small, tiny seed of doubt nagged at me.

Snowstorm was silent for a few moments, and he stared at the purple mountains in the distance. He mewed, "If the dream _had _been real, and you _did _see Firestar, then I think we should do what he says." He grinned.

I couldn't believe my ears. He actually _believed _my farfetched story?

While I gaped at him in surprise, he stood up and asked, "Should I tell the Clan?"

"N-no. Firestar told me not to tell anyone."

"Alright, then. When are you planning on leaving?"

I hesitated. The idea seemed so overwhelming, all of a sudden. I couldn't imagine myself leaving the safety of the Clans and going out to face the world.

But I knew I had to do it.

But when should I leave? I had to go on the sunhigh patrol tomorrow, and I wouldn't be able to wake up in time in the mornings.

"Tomorrow night," I finally decided. The night of the Gathering. When everyone else left for the island, Snowstorm and I would stay in the camp and sneak off. That way, no one would notice right away that we were missing.

**Do you think the action is going too fast or too slow, or is the pace just fine? And are any of the characters acting like Mary Sues?**

**Just wondering, cuz constructive criticism is always welcome.**


	20. Chapter 19-The Start of the Journey

CHAPTER 19-The Start of the Journey

The moon was full and pale and shone down on the camp with a smooth, round face. The cats milled around the camp, anxious and excited to get to the Gathering.

I was inside the den, tracing the cracks on the shard of obsidian when Toadstep poked his head inside and said, "We're going soon. Quit dawdling and hurry up, or we'll leave you behind."

I won't be going, I thought, but I didn't say it out loud. I heard Toadstep's footsteps as he padded away.

Outside, I heard Bramblestar gathering up the cats, and held my breath as he led them away.

The voices of the cats disappeared, and the clearing became enveloped in silence.

Snowstorm snuck into the apprentice's den and whispered, "Are you ready?"

I forced myself to nod. But, in truth, I felt scared by the whole thing. My heart throbbed when I imagined myself slipping through the gorse tunnel, and I might never come back again.

I didn't want to leave.

And yet, Firestar's message was grave and urgent, and I knew that I had to.

Snowstorm and I looked both ways before padding out, and we kept close to the walls. Hazeltail was guarding the entrance, and a few murmurs drifted out of the nursery and elders' den.

The moonlight bathed the whole clearing in a silver sheen that sparkled like snow. Our shadows cast tall, dark figures on the ground, and I was certain that someone would see and we would be caught. Luckily, we managed to quietly slip into the dirt tunnel.

I wrinkled my nose at the stench and shuddered as the slush squished underfoot. There was a small hole at the end of the tunnel. After widening it a bit more, we squeezed out. We had made it out of the camp.

The forest was painted in a metallic, blue and white luster. The leaves sparkled, and high above, the stars were singing. My breath caught in my throat. The woods looked so different at night, as if I had stepped into a magical realm that knew no boundaries.

Snowstorm nudged me, and I knew that we had to hurry far from the Lake before the sun cast its first light.

Our shadows flitted across the grass as we dashed past the trees. The mountains were a dark, purple haze stretching far into the distant horizon.

After a while, we stopped to rest and catch our breath. The Lake was far behind us now.

An owl hooted somewhere among the trees, and the crickets harmonized to their never ending song. The grass rustled in the wind.

A twig cracked nearby. I was instantly alert. Was it a fox?

Snowstorm stood in front of me and growled at the bushes in front of us.

The leaves rustled, and the head of a dark grey tom peered out. His amber eyes flashed.

My ears pricked up in surprise when I realized that it was Dewstep.

Snowstorm flicked his tail and hissed, "What are you doing here?"

Dewstep stepped out of the bush and ruffled his fur. "That's what I should be asking _you_," he muttered. "When I saw you leave, I wondered what you were up to and decided to follow. What are you doing?"

Snowstorm blinked at me, and I knew that he was silently asking me if I should tell him about the dream.

But Dewstep wouldn't believe me. He was a stubborn and hard-headed cat who didn't bother to fantasize about hidden lands and who didn't care much for dragons or griffons. Surely, he wouldn't believe my impossible dream.

I stuttered as I tried to think of an excuse. My mind went blank.

Dewstep's tail lashed impatiently behind him.

He meowed, "If you don't mind, I'll be taking you back. The whole Clan will be wondering where you two are."

Snowstorm flattened his ears and growled, "No. There's something important Ashley and I have to do before going back."

Dewstep raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

Snowstorm hesitated.

Dewstep wouldn't leave until we told him what we were doing, so I too a deep breath, and said, "StarClan told me to go to the mountains."

Dewstep snorted. "Impossible. Why would they ask _you?"_

I shrugged, and stood up. I was going to continue walking, but he stood in front of me and blocked my path. I looked at him hesitantly, slightly afraid.

His gaze softened, just a tiny bit. He stepped aside and meowed gruffly, "Well, maybe you're right. You can't just ignore a message from StarClan."

He licked his paw. "I'm going with you."

Snowstorm's eyes widened. "What? But you can't come! StarClan didn't come to _you _in a dream."

Dewstep pointed out, "They didn't tell you either, and yet you're going."

Snowstorm leaned back and muttered, "Good point."

Dewstep nudged me forward and meowed, "Anyways, the Clan life is starting to get a bit dull. I need more excitement. And you'll need all the help you need on your journey. Come on, what you are waiting for? Let's go!"

He bounded off without looking back, and Snowstorm and I watched him go. The white tom muttered something under his breath and shook his head briskly, before dashing after him.

I followed.

So I wasn't going to make this journey alone. The doubt inside me subsided, and I knew that as long as I had those two to stand next to me, I could, maybe, conquer anything. With Snowstorm's knowledge and strength, and Dewstep's stubbornness and strong will, I could make it to the mountains. The butterflies in my stomach gradually fluttered away, and I sighed in relief.

OoOoOOoOooooOooOoOoOoOOoOooOoO

The warm sunlight began to peak through the tree branches, and I fidgeted and reluctantly opened my eyes. For a split second, I was confused. There was a scratchy patch of grass beneath me, instead of soft moss. And then, I remembered. I had left the night before to journey to the mountains.

I sat up. Snowstorm was snoring softly beside me, but Dewstep was nowhere in sight. I was worried. What if a fox or a badger had taken him while he slept?

There was a rustle nearby, and I turned to find the grey warrior dragging a dead rabbit behind him. He set it down between us and flicked his tail. "Here," he said. I nodded my thanks, and we crouched down to gulp it down.

I saved a leg for Snowstorm, and after we had rested some more, we continued on.

The Lake was far behind us now, and unfamiliar landmarks and trees dotted our path. But as long as the distant mountains were in sight, we wouldn't get lost.

Dewstep twitched his ear. "So, the Tribe of Rushing Water is real, huh? Whenever my mother told me the story of how Bramblestar and Squirrelflight found them, I was a bit doubtful. I never imagined that there would be another group of cats besides the Clans."

Snowstorm trembled with excitement like a kit, and his movements were swift and strong. "I'd love to see them! I want to learn their ways, and how they live!"

He looked at me. "I wonder why Firestar would choose you, though."

"Yeah…" I murmured. Why _had _he chosen me? Was it because he saw something in me that was worthy of StarClan?

The coarse grass beneath us eventually gave way to long, yellow grass that flowed against our legs like soft hair. The trees disappeared, and a large prairie loomed up in front of us, like a huge patch of sunlight. I set my paw down, and immediately leaped back in surprise when a group of quail exploded from their hiding place and scattered everywhere.

Snowstorm and Dewstep quickly leaped after them and easily killed two. The birds were so heavy and plump from eating the wheat seeds that their short legs weren't nearly as long to help them escape from the predators. After quickly swallowing them down, we hurried on our way.

"There's so much prey around here," Snowstorm observed. "It's a shame that ThunderClan didn't find this place and move here."

There were literally prey everywhere we looked; tiny field mice scurried to and fro, and the quail pecked at the ground. A few hawks soared lazily in the sky, and the rabbits were plentiful. I winced as a thorn embedded itself in my paw, but I picked it out with ease.

The sun warmed our backs and made us sleepy. The praire seemed like such a peaceful place, and I was tempted to just stay there and doze the day away. But I knew that I couldn't.

As we journeyed further and further into unknown lands, my heart opened wider and felt like it was soaring. The scared feelings from before was replaced by a sense of courage and adventure.

My paws felt as if they were walking on clouds, and the swallows and hawks chirped from above.

The toms bounded next to me, their eyes shining.

As long as I was with them, I would continue to soar.


	21. Chapter 20-Dogs!

CHAPTER 20-Dogs

A streak of lightning slashed open the clouds, and torrents of rain came bucketing down. Thunder boomed overhead like a mad lion. I was soaked to the bone. Shivering, I followed the warriors as they led me to a shelter from an overhanging branch. It wasn't exactly dry or warm, and trickles of rain dropped down from the leaves and splattered onto my nose. The thunder roared again and nearly deafened me.

Dewstep muttered, "Well, I guess we'd better wait the storm out before we continue any farther." He fluffed up his fur and lay down. After a few more moments, he was snoring softly. I furrowed my brow. How could he sleep in all this racket? But then again, knowing him, he could probably sleep through a badger rampage and not wake up until the next morning.

I rested my paws on the damp ground and sighed. The exciting feelings from before had evaporated, and the sky outside was a gloomy gray. Even though I did like rainy days, I didn't want to just sit here and do nothing. I had to get to the mountains as soon as possible.

"StarClan's territory is collapsing," Firestar had said. And he had told me something else: _Don't leave without water, for it will guide you. _

Water was pouring out of the sky and splashing onto the grass with harsh sounds.

Snowstorm pricked his ears up and asked, "Do you want to go hunting? It's boring here."

"But it's raining. Won't the prey be stuck in their burrows?"

He shrugged, and beckoned me to stand up. I reluctantly followed him and stepped out of the shelter of the overhanging branch. The rain immediately sloshed onto my fur. The water trickled down my face, and I trembled with the cold. I looked at the still sleeping form of Dewstep. "What about him?" I asked.

Snowstorm shrugged again, and replied, "He'll be fine. We won't be gone long."

We trudged slowly through the brown mud, avoiding puddles and still getting wetter all the while. His white fur was starting to look brown from the mud.

He crouched down and motioned me to do the same, and he whispered, "Since there's rain, we won't be able to scent the prey. Instead, we should listen."

I strained my ears and leaned forward, trying to detect any sounds.

There was a slight flurry of squeaks nearby coming from a clump of dandelions. "Over there," I whispered. "A mouse."

Snowstorm nodded. I crouched lower and began to sneak towards it. I could just make out the black beady eyes peering out from the leaves as it squeaked again. Tensing up my muscles, I sprang.

My claws landed on the mouse, and a bit of hope flickered inside me. However, it squirmed and wriggled out of my grasp and quickly darted away. Snowstorm sprang to his paws and killed it with a swift blow to its back.

He looked at me sympathetically and mewed, "Your hunting crouch is great, but you need to tighten your grasp, otherwise the prey will escape."

I hung my head, embarrassed. He licked my head and meowed, "Hey, it's alright. You'll improve soon enough."

We walked back with the mouse. Dewstep was awake and sitting up. He sniffed the prey and yawned, and mewed sleepily, "I'm not really hungry."

"You eat it, Snowstorm," I said. "After all, you caught it."

Snowstorm shook his head and pushed the rodent to me. "Here."

I mewed quickly, "No, it's alright. I don't deserve it."

We kept pushing the mouse back and forth, and Dewstep got so annoyed that in the end, he ate it instead.

OoOoOoOoOoOooooOOOOoo

The rain began to thin out. The thunder subsided to a low, echoing growl, and the clouds lightened. We padded out of the shelter and continued on our way. The grey clouds covered the distant mountains from view, but we had memorized our direction and followed it.

There was a river nearby. The water was high and almost overflowing, and trash littered the banks. There were several sad-looking and soggy magazine pages with pictures that had long faded, some bent soda cans, and even a beat-up, worn-down shoe.

My fur began to bristle. There was so much litter everywhere! Why couldn't people just learn to recycle or stop being litterbugs? It annoyed me to no end.

A waterlogged piece of paper drifted by on the current, and out of curiosity, I leaned down to examine it. The typed words were faded and almost impossible to read, but I could make out a few words: "..and day by day, the wings unfurled…"

The words felt a bit strange in my mind, since I hadn't read a single letter in months. The words echoed again and again in my brain and brought back the familiar pang of homesickness that rocked back and forth like a boat caught in a high sea. I sighed, and hurried after the others.

Something growled low in its throat. I slowly turned around, my fur on end, and was greeted by a dog staring at me in the distance. It growled again, a low, guttural sound that vibrated and seemed to penetrate deeply in my ears. I gulped and whispered, "Um…hey, guys?"

Snowstorm and Dewstep turned around, and their eyes grew wide when they saw the dog. The canine turned and barked loudly, and in a few moments, a smaller, shaggier mongrel appeared to stand next to the first. The warriors and I backed away slowly. The dogs began to follow us.

"Easy, boy," I whispered to the canines as they continued to advance.

The dogs barked, and the sound resonated and vibrated throughout my entire body like thunder. They suddenly charged and lunged at us with their jaws open wide and tongues flying out.

Snowstorm and Dewstep dashed away. I panicked and looked around wildly. My mind just went blank, and my paws felt rooted to the ground. I couldn't tear my eyes away as the canines sprinted closer and closer. My heart beat wildly.

Dewstep sprang towards me and snarled, "Move!" He butted his head into my shoulder, and the force toppled me over. Luckily, I snapped out of the trance, scrambled to my paws, and darted off.

Snowstorm and Dewstep followed me, their paws pounding on the earth and their fur bristling. My paws were already beginning to feel tired. I couldn't keep on running for long.

The dogs barked again and again, and they were gaining. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a flash of large white teeth in the sun, and of brown, wild eyes driven mad by the scent of cats.

Snowstorm turned and dove under a tangled thorn bush. He dug his way underneath and crouched there, trembling.

Dewstep sprinted the other way, and I didn't see where he went. The dogs were gaining. I could feel their hot breath on my neck.

I shuddered, and forced myself to run faster. _Run! Run! Run! _I urged myself on. My heart was beating so wildly that I was afraid that it would pound out of my chest.

Snowstorm yowled, "Ashley, climb up a tree!"

I looked around. Never once in my life had I ever climbed a tree, and all of the trunks looked too slippery for a good grip.

All of my instincts were telling me to _run._

The dogs growled.

The dogs snarled.

The dogs roared like lions.

My breath caught in my throat as I suddenly tripped on a rock sticking out of the ground. I tumbled head over heels down the steep hill, and closed my eyes tight. I didn't want to see the dogs rip me up to shreds.

I stiffened, and tried to prepare myself.

Nothing happened.

I took a deep breath and waited some more.

The birds twittered from high up in the sky.

And I was still alive.

Confused, I sat up and blinked.

Far in the distance, I heard a flurry of barking along with furious hisses and spitting.

I immediately got to my paws. Snowstorm and Dewstep had flung themselves at the dogs and were slashing at them with all their fury.

The dogs shook their fur and tried to fling them off, but they held on with grim determination.

I sprinted towards them, and before I knew what I was doing, I had unsheathed my claws. The dog seemed to be too scared to move, so I brought it to my advantage. I quickly raised my claw and brought it down on one of the canine's hind legs, and it yelped in pain.

It howled and sprinted off to the distance. The larger dog watched it leave and it paused, wondering if it should follow. Dewstep snarled in its ear and bite down hard. Blood spurted out. The dog whimpered and yelped sharply, and after the warrior had loosened its grip, it quickly hurried after its companion with its tail tucked between its legs.

Snowstorm and Dewstep watched it go with satisfaction. I flattened my ears. I was still trembling, and my fur was still fluffed out. I forced myself to calm down.

Snowstorm nudged me gently, "Are you okay?"

I nodded and scuffled my paws.

He looked at the distance and meowed, "Those dogs sure are wimps. They run away as soon as we fight them."

He turned and asked me, "Do you want to continue the journey, or should we rest for the rest of the day?"

I didn't want to sound weak (even though everyone already knew that I was), so I murmured, "Let's keep going."

My voice sounded small and sharp, and my heart was still pounding wildly.

Snowstorm laid his tail against my shoulders and licked the top of my head. "It's alright," he said. Was it just my imagination, or did he look worried about me? I shrugged the thought away. I closed my eyes and felt his warmth, and was a bit disappointed when he pulled away.

Dewstep blinked at me kindly, and we continued the rest of the way in silence, making our way slowly across the land.

I dragged my paws half-heartedly. I _hated _the fact that I was so weak. I wanted to be able to fight, to hunt, to be a warrior like the rest of them. But I knew that I couldn't be. I wasn't even forest-born. I was only Ashley, just Ashley, and my skills were so terrible that I would probably be an apprentice for the rest of my life. I sighed wearily.


	22. Chapter 21-A New Companion

CHAPTER 21-A New Companion

The fallen leaves were slick and shiny from the recent rain. They dotted the forest floor, painting the ground with loud colors that shouted at you to be noticed. Red ones, orange ones, yellow and browns mingled together to form a canvas of pictures. It was strange, I thought. Back at home, I had never noticed how bright the autumn leaves were. Back at my real home, I meant. I winced.

We traveled for many days and many nights, and the trees gave way to rocky dirt that dug into my paws. The prey became scarce. Sometimes, we went days without eating.

A Twolegplace loomed up in front of us, complete with bustling cars that honked every minute of the day and tall skyscrapers that reached towards the stars.

It stretched out for as far as the eye could see.

There was a gap in the fence, and we easily squeezed in.

The warriors flinched when they heard the sharp squeal of car tires.

They stood rooted to the spot, their eyes wide and their ears laid back against their heads. Their fur began to bristle when they heard all of the unfamiliar noises and sights, of car horns and thousands of people shouting to be heard above the ruckus of the traffic.

I mewed, "It's alright, the monsters won't hurt you unless you get in their way, and the Twolegs won't even notice you."

Dewstep was reluctant. "How can you be so sure?" he asked.

"Uh…I…" I quickly thought of an excuse. I couldn't tell him that I was a human, could I? "I used to live in a Twolegplace. Trust me."

Snowstorm's bristling fur began to lie flat, but he still looked wary as I led them on the sidewalk.

A truck zoomed past us and buffeted us with the wind. Dewstep immediately leaped back and snarled.

"Calm down, the monsters won't leave the Blackpath. Just stay on the sidewalk," I meowed calmly.

I was a little bit amused at how much they didn't know about the city.

Eventually, the side walk ended. A group of humans milled around. They didn't so much as glance at us.

The cars continued to growl and lurch across the road.

Snowstorm asked, "How do we get across? We can't run across the Blackpath, can we?" He gazed at me expectantly.

I looked up at the pedestrian traffic light on the large metal pole. A red hand was glowing on it, which meant that the humans had to stop and wait.

I sat down and told the cats, "Just wait. When the red hand turns into a picture of a green Twoleg walking, that's when it'll be safe to cross."

Dewstep was skeptical. "How can you be so sure?" He narrowed his eyes.

I shrugged, and continued to wait. After a few more minutes, the pedestrian traffic light changed.

The cars slowed to a stop, and the humans began to cross. I beckoned to the warriors, and strode onto the black road.

Snowstorm's eyes flashed with surprise. He glanced at the cars, then back at me. He flattened his eyes and hissed, "Ashley! What are you doing? It's dangerous!"

I waved at him with my tail and called, "Come on, hurry up! If you wait any longer, the monsters will start growling again."

They stared at me a while longer, and I was afraid that they would refuse to cross.

Finally, Dewstep hesitantly placed one paw on the surface of the black road, and he quickly dashed across it.

Snowstorm followed.

After we were all on the other side, the light turned into a red hand again, and the traffic started up.

Snowstorm snapped, "Don't do that again! The monsters could have killed you!"

I cocked my head to one side. "I keep telling you, it's safe. As long as the light shows a green Twoleg walking, you can cross."

Dewstep rolled his eyes and muttered something. It was obvious that they still didn't believe me.

OoOoOoOoOoOoooooOoOo

For the rest of the day, we tried to navigate through the city, avoiding stray dogs and cars and trying to keep the mountains in sight. At times, it got frustrating, but still, I felt a little bit…smug. Just a little bit. I finally knew something that they didn't.

When night fell, we stopped to rest our aching paws. The mountains seemed to look a bit closer as I drifted off to sleep.

OoOoOoOooOoOoooOOOOOoOo

It was our third day in the city when we stumbled across the she-cat.

We had shared a moldy piece of sandwich that we'd found lying in a gutter, and we were padding across the sidewalk when I heard a small mew. Startled, I peered around the corner. A small black and white kitten bounded up to me, his amber eyes glittering. "Hello!" he squeaked.

Dewstep came over. He leaned closely to the kit's face and inspected him. Leaning back, he grunted, "Where's your mother? You shouldn't be wandering off."

I suggested, "Maybe he's lost." Before I could ask, a sharp screech erupted from the shadows, and a thin, frail she-cat limped out. Her shaggy brown fur was thin and worn, and her blue eyes flashed with fury when she saw us.

She quickly swept her tail over the kitten and spat, "Stay away from my kit!"

Dewstep flattened his ears in irritation.

Snowstorm dipped his head at the she-cat and mewed, "Sorry. We'll be leaving now."

As we turned and left, I could feel her gaze, full of hatred and spite, boring into the back of my skull.

The kit whined, "But Mom, can't we go with them? They can take care of you!"

She snapped sharply, "Be quiet! I'm perfectly fine!"

I noticed how thin she was, and how all of her ribs stuck painfully out of her sides. Her blue eyes were dull and grey, and her breathing was thin and ragged. She heaved every time she moved, as it were painful to breathe. There was a limp in her step.

She looked sick. And she had a kit to take care of, too.

Snowstorm nudged me and walked away, but I hesitated. I couldn't just leave her could I?

I slowly padded after the toms, but I risked a glance back. The she-cat was licking the top of the kit's head, with the kit meowing in protest.

My gaze softened, and I hurried after the others.

OoOoOoOOOooOOOOoOooOo

The night was cold as we slept in a hollow log. We huddled up against each other for warmth, and I was just drifting off to sleep when I heard a soft mew.

Glancing up, I saw a small, thin black and white kit gazing at us at the opening.

It was the kit from earlier.

"Hello?" I said. What was he doing here?

"Do you know a warm place to take my mum? It's really cold, and she's sick, and…" his voice trailed off. He gazed up at me sadly with his amber eyes. I carefully wrapped my tail around him and squeezed him tightly, since I couldn't think of anything to say.

Dewstep shifted, and he opened his eyes. "What's he doing here?" he muttered. "His mother's going to throw a fit."

"We're going to take him with us," I finally decided. I couldn't leave him here in this city of corruption.

Dewstep's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "We'll take the she-cat along, too. It's too far to take them to ThunderClan, but the mountains are nearby. I'm sure the Tribe will accept them."

The kit's eyes lit up. "We're going to the mountains?" he squeaked joyfully.

Snowstorm's eyes blinked open, and he yawned.

His ears pricked up when he saw the black and white kitten. "Where's his mother?" he asked.

Before we could say anything else, a black shape flitted from the branches and the she-cat let out an ear-splitting cry. It shattered the quiet night like a mirror.

"How dare you kidnap him!" she yowled.

She unsheathed her claws and crouched in front of the kitten, her teeth bared and breathing heavily.

Dewstep flattened his ears and hissed, "Hey, we didn't steal him. He came wandering off on his own terms."

"Liar!" she screeched. Her fur was bristling and her eyes were red with rage. It looked as if she would pounce at any minute and rip his face off.

The kit protested, "He's right, Mom! I came here on my own! They know a safer place where we can stay, somewhere other than the city!"

He turned and looked up at me. His eyes lit up. "Is there a lot of prey there?" he asked.

"Of course," I replied.

"And is it warm?"

"Warmer than the city."

He turned back to the she-cat and begged, "Come on, they can lead us there!"

She glared at us, and then glanced back down at her son. She seemed to be thinking, for her eyes flickered with the faintest thought. Her fur began to lie flat.

She sighed, and seemed smaller somehow. Her legs gave way and plopped down on the grass, as if she was too tired to stand up.

"Fine then," she rasped. "Take me to this warm place."

Her eyes hardened again, and she growled, "But if you lay one paw on my kit, I won't hesitate to rip you to shreds."

It seemed as if she was too weak to stand, let alone fight. But I didn't say anything. Snowstorm twitched his whiskers in amusement and mewed, "Very well, then. We're leaving tomorrow."

We settled back into the hollow log.

The she-cat curled up nearby but refused to join us. She held the kit next to her despite his mews, and in a while, she was asleep.

What was I thinking? I couldn't just take her to the Tribe, could I? I can't just poke my nose into other people's business. But she looked so thin and tired, and she even had a tiny son to take care of.

As I began to doze off, I saw her thin form outlined against the light of the moon.

Her paw twitched, ever so slightly, as if she was dreaming that she was running.

What were her dreams made of? Did she dream of sleeping warm and curled up in a soft feathery nest, of chasing mice with the memory of hunger long forgotten? Maybe she dreamed of an endless prairie with boundless flowing grass, where the sky was so blue and the birds sang.

Perhaps she dreamed of a safe place that she once knew.

I closed my eyes and thought of home, where the red shingles overlapped like fish scales and the flowers waved in the front lawn. I dreamed the same thing as her.

** Author's Note: MMMMMMM I hope you like this chapter yeeee**


	23. Chapter 22-Lost Bird

CHAPTER 22-Lost Bird

My empty stomach yawned and moaned like the wind. My paws ached as they scrabbled against the rough concrete sidewalk, and they longed to feel the soft touch of soil and ferns underneath them again.

Patch, the kitten, bounded forward in energetic strokes. It seemed that he was used to all of the hustle and bustle of the city, and his eyes were bright and cheerful. His smile could light up a thousand suns. As we traveled with each other, I grew fonder of him. He was like a little brother to me.

His mother, Rain, plodded more slowly behind us. Her joints creaked and sagged as she hobbled on stick legs. She teetered unsteadily at times, and I was afraid that she would collapse, but she never did. The she-cat kept placing one paw in front of the other, moving slowly but steadily onward.

Whenever we tried to help her, she snapped at us, so we kept our distance.

Snowstorm muttered hesitantly, "I'm…hungry."

Dewstep rolled his eyes. "Of course you are. There's hardly any prey here in this forsaken Twolegplace."

My stomach wailed again, and I flattened my ears in annoyance. Shut up! I know you're hungry!

I sighed. The sooner we got out of the city, the better. At least the mountains looked a little bit closer.

"A trash can!" Patch squeaked. He leaped onto the metal can in an awkward jump and landed inside with a dull clank.

Rain limped over and peered inside. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yup!" he chirped. "I wonder if there's any food in here."

Snowstorm sat down with a tired sigh and meowed, "If there is, save some for me, alright?"

While the kit was rummaging through the trash, I stopped to lick my paws, wrinkling my nose at the bitter taste of blood.

I sighed. I was cold, tired, and starving, and I couldn't wait to get to the Tribe. I wondered what ThunderClan was doing right now. I tried to remember the number of days we've been gone, and I decided that it been 2 weeks.

Two weeks, at least. They've noticed our absence. Had they sent search parties to look for us? How far did they search until they finally gave up? Brightheart would be in a frenzy as she worried over her two missing sons. Somehow, I wanted to reach my mind over to the Clan where I sat and assure her that Snowstorm and Dewstep were fine. She didn't need to worry.

And what would Bramblestar think? I pictured him sitting crouched down in his nest, his haunches raised and his tail swishing behind him. He didn't look very pleased, for his amber eyes were dark and unmoving and his mouth was drawn in a tight scowl. He was probably wondering what his mouse-brained warriors were thinking, wandering off in the middle of the night to who-knows-where. Oh, well. I just hope that he won't claw my ears off when I get back.

The hunger pains seized my empty stomach and jolted me out of my thoughts.

What I wouldn't give to be back home again…

A loud rumbling noise sounded from the corner. It screeched sharply and I quickly covered my ears. What was that racket?

The other cats were doing the same, and they quickly backed away as a large garbage truck rounded the corner and began to rumble down the road.

Rain yowled, "Patch! Get out of the can!"

The rumbling of the truck was so loud that I could hardly make out her words. It vibrated throughout my body and jarred my vision.

As the garbage truck roared closer, Snowstorm and Dewstep let out a startled yowl and darted away.

I leaped to my paws, desperate to get away from the noise, but then I noticed Rain. She was crouched in front of the trash can, trying to reach Patch. Her limp leg made it hard for her to do so, and she winced. The walls were too high for the kit to jump out on his own.

The noise grated our ears like metal on stone.

The truck squealed to a halt, and a person bundled up in sweaters jumped down and strode towards the can.

I leaped in front of him and hissed. He can't take the trash can away! Patch was still inside!

My hissings and meows fell on deaf ears as he tried to shoo me away.

Rain leaped next to me and bared her teeth at the man, and together, we tried to look fearsome. The man simply waved his arms and shouted at us, and when we still wouldn't leave, he sent a kick to Rain's ribs.

The she-cat let out a surprised yowl as the blow knocked her backwards.

I unsheathed my claws and attacked him. I had no other choice. My claws ripped into his pant leg and left red, burning claw marks. He yelled and shook his leg, trying to drive me away.

Flattening my ears, I sank my teeth into his leg, chomping down hard enough so that I felt my teeth scrape bone.

He screamed so loud that it matched the volume of the garbage truck.

I hung on tightly and wouldn't let go. I couldn't let him throw the garbage can, along with Patch, onto the truck. My heart was pounding in fear and excitement.

The man swore at me and grasped the scruff of my neck in rough hands.

I yowled in pain as he held me tightly. With a strong heave, he flung me far off into the air. The cold wind lashed at my face, and my eyes opened wide as I saw the concrete loom up at me. I closed my eyes and braced for the impact.

Dry twigs scratched my face, and I realized that I had landed in a bush. The leaves had all fallen off for autumn, and the thin branches broke my fall.

My ears were aching and pounding my skull. In a daze, I looked up, and my eyes widened in disbelief as the man reached down, took the trash can in his hands, and dumped the contents onto the truck. The roaring of the vehicle was too loud for him to hear the desperate mews of Patch.

Rain yowled angrily and flung herself at the human, but he merely swatted her away and sat back down on the driver's seat. The wheels screeched, and the garbage truck growled and yawned like a big, burly bear. I knew that if I hesitated for another second, I would never see Patch again. Ignoring the scrapes on my side, I leaped down from the bush and sprinted towards the truck. The wheels groaned and squeaked on rusty hinges. I sucked in a deep breath, bunched up my hind legs, and jumped.

My paws were outstretched in front of me as I reached for a secure hold. If I missed, I would fall, and would be crushed underneath the wheels. I tried not to think of it.

My paws scraped against the warm, grimy pelt of the roaring beast and I hung on for dear life as the wheels began to pick up speed. The cold wind whipped and lashed my face.

I tensed my muscles and tried to heave myself onto the truck. My grip was slipping, and I let out a small gasp.

Using the rest of my strength, I tightened my hold and lurched onto the top of the garbage truck. Black, shiny bags of trash sagged underneath my weight, and I wrinkled my nose at the horrible stench.

The truck was lurching at full speed now, and I tried not to stumble and fall. "Patch!" I called desperately. A small mew answered me, and I quickly clawed the garbage out of the way. A small, black and white ball of fur came into view. The kitten blinked up at me and let out a scared wail.

"It's alright," I said gently, trying to comfort him. In reality, I was scared out of my mind, and I didn't know how in the world to get off the truck. It was moving at such a fast speed, and I was so high up.

I grasped Patch in my mouth and carefully padded over to the edge. The black road was swiftly moving like a dark river, and the houses were a blur. I gulped.

I had to do this. There was no other way. I breathed in deeply, and bunched up my hind legs.

Come on, you can do this, I told myself. I closed my eyes and jumped.

The wind howled in my ears. My paws met air, and it felt like I was flying. But it wasn't the soundless, joyful kind of flight. Instead, it was scary, and frightening, the kind of flying where you didn't know when and where you would land.

The impact of the sidewalk on my paws jarred me violently. I opened my eyes to find that I had successfully leaped down from the garbage truck. My paws and bones ached, but I was alright.

Patch mewled softly, and I placed him gently on the ground. We had made it.

My head felt thin and calm. I let out a sigh of relief.

My happiness didn't last long, however, as I looked around at my surroundings.

Dewstep, Snowstorm, and Rain were nowhere to be found. And I had no idea where I was.

**Yeah…sorry that this chapter wasn't as good, I'll try to immmmprrroooove.**


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